Jefferson's republic : the Declaration of Independence, Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and the University of Virginia
Author(s)
Advisor
Johnson, Russell L.Date
2000Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
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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.