Thomas Jefferson

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  1. A Revolutionary is Born (1743-1773)

  In 1743, Thomas Jefferson is born to one of the most powerful families in the most powerful of Britain’s 13 North American colonies. After a privileged upbringing and the finest education, young Jefferson quietly prepares to lead the charge towards a burgeoning revolution.

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  2. Independence (1774-1776)

  As colonists become more disgruntled with British tyranny, Thomas Jefferson’s words become a galvanizing push toward liberty. When colonists finally reach their breaking point, he is tasked with declaring independence in a document that will birth a new nation, a new way of governing, and become a tenant of democracy around the globe.

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  3. Jefferson at War (1777-1784)

  Just as Jefferson is sworn in as the governor of the new state of Virginia, war arrives on his doorstep. As an intellectual with no military background, he struggles to protect himself and his constituents in the face of British attacks. After a disastrous tenure as governor, Jefferson retires from politics only to face public humiliation and personal tragedy.

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  4. Jefferson in Paris (1784-1793)

  After the tragic loss of his wife, Jefferson is sent to Paris where he thrives personally and politically. While there, he begins an entanglement with an enslaved teenager that will shape the next 40 years of his life. Upon his return to the U.S., President George Washington appoints Jefferson as the country’s first Secretary of State where he finds himself in a bitter rivalry with the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton.

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  5. President Jefferson (1793-1809)

  After a dirty fight, Jefferson wins the presidency against his former friend, John Adams. He spends the next 8 years defining the tenets of the executive office and more than doubling the size of the country.

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  6. Jefferson's Legacy (1809-1826)

  Jefferson’s retirement is fraught with controversy. While consumed in debts he cannot repay, he fights to perpetuate his legacy as America’s Founding Father and the Apostle of Liberty. But in the wake of his death, truths about his life have forced Americans to reconsider his place in history.

Cast

Jon Meacham

Self (Commentary)

Devin E. Haqq

Narrator

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Susan A. Kern

Self (Commentary)

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Gayle Jessup White

Self (Commentary)

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Vinson Cunningham

Self (Commentary)

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Frank Cogliano

Self (Commentary)

Annette Gordon-Reed

Self (Commentary)

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John Avlon

Self (Commentary)

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Niya Bates

Self (Commentary)

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Bill Barker

Self (Commentary)

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Paul Finkelman

Self (Commentary)

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Mia Bay

Self (Commentary)