Jefferson's republic : the Declaration of Independence, Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and the University of Virginia

Abstract

Thomas Jefferson is one of the leading figures of the era of the establishment of the United States of America. Like the other founding fathers of the country, there are still unexplored parts of his ideas, and the discussion about his political philosophy continues. This thesis will shed light on Thomas Jefferson’s ideas about government, religion and education, or more simply put, on Jefferson’s thoughts about an ideal society. The three works which Jefferson regarded as his most important accomplishments and which are written on his gravestone are the Declaration of Independence, Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and the University of Virginia. Therefore, this thesis will focus on these different sources for Jefferson’s opinions about politics, religion and the accumulation of knowledge. For Jefferson, these were the most crucial factors in order to establish an independent country of virtuous citizens. By examining these three areas, this thesis will point out the features of Jefferson’s social and political ideology and sometimes it will reflect how much European or American his ideas were.