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In writing his own epitaph, Jefferson chose three forward-looking, aspirational accomplishments reflecting his hope that future generations would continue to advance the American experiment in self-government.
“A rising nation, spread over a wide and fruitful land, traversing all the seas with the rich productions of their industry …advancing rapidly to destinies beyond the reach of mortal eye.” Thomas Jefferson, 1801
The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States, ushering in an era of migration of citizens (often accompanied by those they enslaved) and immigrants from the eastern seaboard and Europe to inhabit the West. At what cost did fulfilling the dreams of Jefferson and those who followed his vision of an "empire of liberty" come? The settlement of the West displaced the Native American population, destroying much of its culture, and the problem of slavery spreading to new territories set the stage for the Civil War.
A Civic Engagement Initiative sponsored by and in collaboration with The New York Community Trust – The Peter G. Peterson Fund. 
