Thomas Jefferson: American Visionary

by Darren M. Staloff

From The Teaching Company's The Great Coourses Modern History series. Thomas Jefferson : American Visionary
(12 lectures, 45 minutes/lecture)
on audiotape with course booklets

Taught by Darren Staloff
City College of New York

For those fans of Professor Staloff, whose Teaching Company courses have almost entirely fallen out of print, comes this in-depth course on the most important of the Founding Fathers.

Course titles
1. The Allure and Challenge of Thomas Jefferson
2. The Mind of Thomas Jefferson
3. Jefferson the Revolutionary American.
4. Jefferson the Revolutionary Virginian
5. The American Sage : notes on the State of Virginia
6. Jefferson Abroad
7. Jefferson versus Hamilton
8. the Road to Victory - the "Revolution of 1800"
9. Principle and Practice in Jefferson's Presidency
10. Literary Legacies
11. Final Projects, Closing Fears
12. Through a Glass Darkly : The Man and the Symbol

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, American History, Audiobook

6 pages, Audio CD

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1999 The Teaching Company released City College of New York history Professor Darren Staloff’s course “Thomas Jefferson: American Visionary.” This 9 hour 12 lecture course begins with a discussion of Jefferson’s education, religious beliefs, and family commitments. Prof Stallof’s next explains how these early life events impacted Jefferson’s strong commitments to use his literary skills and social beliefs to author the American Declaration of Independence, Virginia legal codes draft notes, and publications about economic justice, antislavery perspectives, Republican economic principles, and American agrarian values. The course lectures also feature Jefferson’s notions of American liberty, the French revolution, and the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. The lectures continue with discussion of the 1807 Embargo search and seizure acts, the XYZ French bribery affair, and conflicts triggered by conflicting Federalist and Republican policies. Jefferson’s political leadership of Virginia, his U.S. Presidency, and his service as an American minister in Europe are significant to the history of our Union. The course concludes with a set of lectures about Jefferson’s weaknesses regarding racial biases, economic challenges, and conflicts with Alexander Hamilton. According to Prof Staloff, “The most glaring contradictions of Jefferson’s presidency was between his libertarian convictions prior to holding office and his beliefs and practices while in the Whitehouse.” The course is full of insights and very thought provoking. (P)

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand that such a person as Thomas Jefferson can be enigmatic but I felt I learned very little about this complex, vibrant man. While I enjoyed the direct quotes from his letters, I could have done without the "voice" the professor used. I found the accent distracted from the words. I'm glad I did not pay money for this course. I would have been better off spending my time reading a biography.

[Mati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Jefferson was and interesting and influential figure of USA history. Definitely good to listen to.

[Edwin B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone told me Jefferson was the leading visionary of the American revolution, a revolution which raised aloft the banner of the Enlightenment and its ringing declaration of the inalienable rights of man - "that all men are created equal...with rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." And so I listened to this audiobook, and learned about this man, and the thoughts of that revolutionary time - which, by the way, was not revolutionary by today's standards especially because of its promotion of slavery and discrimination against women, but revolutionary enough to be able to evolve to elect today it's first African-American president.