While Thomas Jefferson spent the majority of his life in Virginia, he traveled far more—both domestically and internationally—than the average person in early America. And he believed that travel could bring wisdom and understanding. “When men of sober age travel,” he wrote in 1787, “they gather knowlege (sic) which they may apply usefully for their country.”

In this live Q&A with Thomas Jefferson, interpreted by Bill Barker, discuss his various trips, his fastidious record-keeping during travel, and what he learned from those experiences.