The Declaration of Independence

Jefferson was selected to pen the Declaration because he was a little-known figure at the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He wrote it in just a few days, in his room. Jefferson's authorship was not widely known until his first term as president, which began in 1801.

"A Summary View of the Rights of British America"

One of the reasons that Jefferson was able to complete the Declaration so quickly was that he had already penned two documents about the same principles. "A Summary View of the Rights of British America" was the first. The "Declaration of the Causes and Necessity for Taking Up Arms" was the second. The summary was penned and published before Jefferson was sent to Philadelphia, so among a select few, his reputation as a writer preceded him.

Monticello

Jefferson's beloved retreat and masterwork, Monticello represented idyllic domestic bliss...