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Shaping The World: Conversations on Democracy
produced in conjunction with
Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest
Teacher Resources and Lesson
Plans are available for each of the Conversations
programs to help students
http://www.poplarforest.org/democracy.html
"Indulge in Jefferson's
Favorite Pursuits...Reading, Studying, Thinking"
Links are listed for each program below. |
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Episode 1-A Conversation with Thomas Jefferson
and John Adams
Students and teachers
can join a conversation between two friends and past
presidents of the United States: John Adams, second
president, and Thomas Jefferson, third president.
In this interchange
between Jefferson and Adams students will have the
opportunity to learn more about the men, and their
differing opinions on a variety of democratic
issues, their work on the Declaration of
Independence, the election of 1800, their roles as
ambassadors abroad, their tenure as Presidents
residing in the White House, and their views and
concerns for the country.
Episode 1 Teacher Resources
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Episode 2-A Conversation with Thomas Jefferson
and Marquis de Lafayette
Students and teachers
can join a conversation between Thomas Jefferson and
the Marquis de Lafayette as students from Forest
Middle School engage the two men on the topics of
the American Revolution, Lafayette's role in that
revolution, Jefferson's years in France as the U.S.
Minister, the French Revolution, their military and
political careers, and their views on the meaning of
democracy and advice for the future.
In this interchange
between Jefferson and Lafayette, students will have
the opportunity to learn more about the men and
their opinions on a variety of democratic issues,
their work on the American Declaration of
Independence and the French Declaration of the
Rights of Man and of the Citizen and their views and
concerns for their respective countries.
Episode 2 Teacher Resources
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Episode 3-The Object of Our Mission:
Thomas Jefferson Confers with Meriwether Lewis
In this interchange with
President Jefferson and Captain Lewis, students have
the opportunity to learn more about the
extraordinary journey into what Jefferson called the
"Mysterious West." Seventh graders from Central
Academy Middle School query Jefferson and Lewis on
the reasons for the expedition, the secret message
to Congress, the instructions and preparation for
the journey, the members of the Corps of Discovery,
the Native Americans encountered, the plants and
animals of the west, and the day to day life of
being in uncharted territory.
Episode 3 Teacher Resources
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Episode 4-The Presidential
Debate 1804
The
presidential election of 1804 would be the first
conducted under the 12th Amendment which
was ratified in June 1804. Previously whichever
presidential candidate received the second highest
electoral vote became vice president. The new
amendment mandated separate ballots for the office
of president and vice president.
In this program students will have the opportunity to
learn more about the 1804 candidates, the political
issues of the time, the events of the day and other
concern of the country as Thomas Jefferson, Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney and their vice presidential
running mates present their credentials and platform
for consideration for the highest offices in the
United States. The candidates are interviewed by
students from Altavista High School.
Episode 4 Teacher Resources
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Episode 5-Thomas
Jefferson Talks with George Washington
In answering a semi-official questionnaire circulated in 1780
by Francois Marbois, secretary of the French
legation at Philadelphia (a document that would
become Jefferson's first and only published book,
Notes on the State of Virginia), Jefferson wrote
about George Washington:
"In war we have produced a Washington, whose memory will be
adored while liberty shall have votaries, whose name
will triumph over time, and will in future ages
assume its just station among the most celebrated
worthies of the world..."
Students and teachers can join a conversation
between Thomas Jefferson and George Washington as
fifth grade students from GO Center at Robert S.
Payne Elementary interview the two men on a variety
of topics that include the American Revolution,
their military and political careers, and their
views on the meaning of democracy. In this
interchange between Jefferson and Washington,
students have the opportunity to learn more about
the men, their opinions on a variety of democratic
issues, their views on women and slavery,
Washington's Presidency and their innovative farming
practices on their plantations.
Jefferson thought highly of Washington and would
later reference him in his first Inaugural Address
(1801) as "Our first and greatest revolutionary
character, whose preeminent services have entitled
him to the first place in his country's love, and
destined for him the fairest page in the volume of
faithful history."
Episode 5 Teacher Resources
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Episode 6-Thomas
Jefferson In Conversation With Napoleon Bonaparte
Jefferson writing about Napoleon
and his activities abroad stated, "After
destroying the liberties of his country, he has
exhausted all its resources, physical and moral, to
indulge his own maniac ambition, his own tyrannical
and overbearing spirit..."
Napoleon on the other hand would refute such notions
exclaiming that, "Such work as mine is not done
twice in a century. I saved the Revolution as it lay
dying, I have cleansed it of its crimes and have
held it up to the people shining with fame. I
inspired France and Europe with new ideas which will
never be forgotten."
Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte are
interviewed by students from Amherst Middle School.
Among other things, their answers explore the roles
of democratic principles and dictatorship. Students
and teachers can join this conversation and learn
more about these two men, their early years,
education, careers, the American and French
Revolutions, their thoughts on democracy and
dictatorship, and their views on their country's
future.
Episode 6 Teacher Resources
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Episode 7-
President Thomas Jefferson And Former Vice President
Aaron Burr: People, Places and Politics
They were both
Democratic-Republicans -- Thomas Jefferson, born in
Virginia; Aaron Burr, in New Jersey. They both were
men of brilliant intelligence. They both played
roles in the American Revolution, one yielding the
pen, the other fighting the war. Both were lawyers
turned politicians to better serve their nation.
Both were controversial.
In the presidential election of 1800, Jefferson and
Burr would tie at 73 electoral votes. On the 36th
ballot in the House of Representatives Jefferson was
elected President and Burr Vice President. Aaron
Burr would serve as Vice President from 1801 - 1805.
Believing Alexander Hamilton responsible for a
smear-campaign and ferocious assassination on his
character, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. On
July 11, 1804 Burr's shot proved fatal and he was
charged with the crime of murder in New York and New
Jersey. Following his tenure as Jefferson's Vice
President, Burr visits the American West and finds
himself the center of an accusation of treason. In
January 1807, President Jefferson issued a
proclamation calling for Burr's arrest. Burr is
acquitted on September 1, 1807 of the treason charge
and in December on the misdemeanor charge.
Students from Appomattox Middle School will confront
these two men, seeking to find answers that give us
insight into their lives, their roles in the
American Revolution and the new government, and into
those dark days known as The Burr Conspiracy.
Students and teachers can join this conversation and
learn more about these two men, their early years,
education, careers, their roles in the American
Revolution and the American Government, their
thoughts on democracy, and their views on their
country's future.
Episode 7 Teacher Resources
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Episode 8-
Thomas Jefferson and Dolley Payne Madison
Heralded and admired
by her contemporaries, Dolley Madison was once
described as an individual with a "warm heart, that
lent its glow to her cheek and its sparkle to her
eye." Gregarious Dolley will exert her grace and
charm on Mr. Jefferson and students from Natural
Bridge Elementary School as they converse on topics
from Jefferson's presidency to the society of
Washington City to "The great little Madison" as
Dolley once referred to her husband. Mrs. Madison
will speak about the occasions and ceremonial
functions she oversaw when asked by Jefferson to
assist in the role of hostess at the President's
House. Jefferson and Mrs. Madison will share their
thoughts with the students on Mr. Madison's role as
Secretary of State, and compare Jefferson's
presidential administration with that of Mr.
Madison's. Dolley will regale Jefferson and the
students as she describes her courageous patriotism
in August 1814 when she rescued from the President's
House official documents and the Gilbert Stuart
portrait of General Washington as British troops
invaded and set fire to the city. They will discuss
Dolley's own successful endeavors bringing together
her Washington society friends to fundraise for the
infamous Lewis and Clark westward expedition.
Students and teachers can join this conversation and
learn more about these two individuals, their early
years, education, their duty to their country, their
thoughts on democracy, and the new seat of
government in Washington City.
Episode 8 Teacher Resources
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Episode 9-
Thomas Jefferson and Charles Willson Peale In
Conversation
 Born two years apart, almost
to the day, Peale and Jefferson shared interest in
many topics and activities. Both were patriots,
archaeologists, scientists, and inventors. They were
fascinated with agricultural innovations, science
and natural history. Many of the specimens Jefferson
received from the Lewis and Clark westward
expedition were exhibited in Peale's natural history
and art museum in Philadelphia (founded in 1802),
including two live magpies, a live prairie dog and
the Mandan buffalo robe.
In 1801 as Jefferson begins his first term in the
Presidency, Peale conducts the first scientific
exploration in the United States, unearthing the
bones of a mastodon. Peale is perhaps best known as
an artist, having painted the founding fathers --
Jefferson, George Washington, John Hancock, Benjamin
Franklin, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and others.
Close to 1,100 paintings are credited to the talent
of Peale.
Jefferson and Peale will engage in conversation
prompted by eighth grade students from Woodrow
Wilson Middle school. Interview questions will range
from science, art, archaeology, natural history,
inventions and gadgets, music, politics, family,
public education and American Independence. Students
and teachers are invited to join this conversation
and learn more about these two talented individuals.
Episode 9 Teacher Resources
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 Episode 10-coming in Fall 2010
Thomas Jefferson & Patrick Henry
Seven years his junior
and still a student of law in Williamsburg, Thomas
Jefferson witnessed Patrick Henry's defiant stand in
opposition to Great Britain's Stamp Act during the
May 1765 session in the House of Burgesses.
Jefferson later wrote that he
"heard the
splendid display of Mr. Henry's talents as a
popular orator. They were great, indeed: such as I
have never heard from any other man. He appeared
to me to speak as Homer wrote."
Both men championed
the colonists' rights as English citizens, Henry -
vocally in fiery and passionate language and
Jefferson - on paper, writing with elegance,
succinctness, and essence. Both served in public
office: Henry 30 years and Jefferson 40 years. They
held the office of Governor of Virginia, were
elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, served
as delegates to the Continental Congress, and each
were national symbols of the American fight for
liberty against British tyranny.
They began as friends and close collaborators,
together drafting the "Proclamation for a day of
Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer" in 1774 and drawing
together a consensus of their fellow Burgesses.
After the beginning of the war for independence
Jefferson and Henry began to differ in opinions
relative to a central government versus states
rights, relationships between church and state, and
what generally became known as the conflict in
Federalist versus Anti-Federalist politics.
Fifth grade students from Brookneal Elementary
School have taken up the challenge to learn more
about these two extraordinary men. The students will
inquire into their early life and career as lawyers,
how they became acquainted with one another, their
reactions to the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party,
Henry's "give me liberty, or give me death" speech,
their role as war time Governors, their issues and
concerns once independence was won, and what they
see as the future of the 13 United States of
America.
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