Primary Sources and More

A guide to some excellent online collections of his writings and manuscripts.

• Jefferson Quotes and Family Letters - Hundreds of quotes by and about Jefferson compiled by the staff of the Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series
   
• Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence - an introduction to Jefferson's role in drafting the Declaration by Monticello historians.
   
• Founders Online - Searchable full-text collections of all the correspondence (and other writings) of the major founders of the United States.
   
• Thomas Jefferson Papers at the Library of Congress - the largest online collection of Jefferson documents, featuring (grayscale) scans and selected transcriptions.
   
• Coolidge Collection of Thomas Jefferson Manuscripts at the Massachusetts Historical Society - features high-quality color scans of Jefferson's Farm and Garden Books and the largest collection of Jefferson architectural drawings and land surveys.
   
• The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives and Records Administration - offers highest-quality digital scans of the Declaration of Independence along with a transcription and examinations of the document.
   
• Papers of Thomas Jefferson (Library of Congress) - Use the Keyword search.
   
• Spurious "Jefferson" Quotes - a list of quotations wrongly attributed to Jefferson compiled by researchers at Monticello's Jefferson Library

26 |                   Monday
     |   1 doz.  hen eggs from   kosted John  |  1 |  6
     |   7 from Cretia                                   |     |
     |_________________________________________________
27 |                   Tuesday                          |      |
     |   1 doz.  eggs from Joel                      |      |
     |   9 eggs from Nance                          |  x  |
     |_________________________________________________
28 |                  Wednesday                      |      |
     |   John Hem. 1 doz.  eggs                   |  x  |
     |   9 eggs from Nance                          |  x  |
     |_________________________________________________
29 |                  Thursday                         |      |
     |                                                        |      |
     |_________________________________________________
30 |                  Friday                              |      |

– right page –

     |                   Sunday
     |                September
     |
     |   from Squire  7 simelines**                    |  x | 
     |   6 cabbages                                          |  x  |
     |   2 doz.  eggs                                         |  x  |
     |   from Martin  11 chickens                       |  6  |
     |    1 due from him                                   |     |
     |   Nance 2 doz egg                                  |  x  |
     |   Abraham 2 doz                                    |  x  |
     |   Wormley 2 1/2 doz                              |  x  |
     |   Ursula 1 1/2 doz cucumbers                 |  x  |
     |   1 water melon                                     |  x  |
     |   1 musk melon                                     |  x  |
     |   Bartlet fish                                          |  x  |
     |   Charles 1 doz eggs                              |  x  |
     |   Isham 1 doz eggs                                |  9  |
     |   Jenny    chickens 1 doz + 3                  |  7  |  6
     |   Paid J. Hemmings 4 doz eggs               |  4  |  6
     |   Caesar  1 doz eggs                              |     |  9
     |                                                            |      |

**possibly "cymlings", a kind of squash. 
Transcription not verified.

(Image 1, left column/page)

Jan: 1777 
         1    31 hogs killed
         9    17 hogs killed
       27    20  hogs killed

Feb:  1    a  beef killed
       11    a mutton killed
       18    a beef killed (66 lb. of tallow in cellar)

Mar:  5    11 doz. & 2 candeles in the cellar
         8    made 100 lb of soft soap 2 geese killed
               7 beds 7 bolsters 10 pillows 7 pr of blankets
               5 mattresses one straw bed 6 counterpains
       14    made a pot of hard soap not weighed
       15    made 40 lb of soft soap
       25    made a pot of hard soap not weighed
               made 6 doz & 10 candles 
       28    a beef killed kept only one quarter 10 lb. tallow
               a goose killed 2 ducks killed a shoat killed

April  7    2 ducks killed
         9    a shoat killed

T.Jeff.      14 old fine shirts 9 ruffled ditt. 12 new plain

(Image 1, right column/page)

M. Jefferson   10 old ruffled shifts 4 new ones, not made 
                      8 old ones ditto 8 night caps 6 fine linen Aprons
                      8 coarse ditto 6 pr of silk hoes 6 pr ditto of
                      cotton

Pattey Jef.      7 new shift 2 night caps 9 frocks 4 pr
                      stockings 2 laced tuckers 2 hemstitched do

April 15          a beef killed sold one quarter yield 10 lb. of tallow 
        17          made 8 doz candles
                      a shoat killed
        20          made 68 lb of soaft soap
        31          a shoat killed 

May   4           a shoat killed 
         6           a mutton killed
         8           made 2 doz candles 
       12           french beans planted       sugar, 2 & ditto mazzeis,
       13           a shoat killed      made 17 candles
                      sowed – pudding peas & gallevance ditto a shoat killed
       19           a shoat killed
       26           a lamb killed

(Image 2, left column/page)

June        bought 15 chickens from old Jenny
               bought 11 [ditto] of Juno bought 8 [ditto] of Jackson
               bought 10 ditt of Squire bought 4, ditt Fanny
               bought of Jupiter bought O[?] of Phill
               bought of Will bought of Mrs Scot 8 ditt
               n:b: all these were pd. for with bacon 

July         bought 7 doz from Ellkhill
               bought 14 ducks & 4 geese

Aug 3      2 ducks killed 
       4      packed up for our own eating 28 hams
               of bacon 21 shoulders 27 middlings
               packed up for workmen 40 hams
               50 shoulders a goose
      12     killed 2 ducks killed  
      13     a goose killed
      14     2 ducks killed & a shoat 
      15     a goose killed
               a goose bought
               6 geese at 18d a peice 2 geese given me
               bought 5 ducks  

(Image 2, right column page)

      23      2 ducks killed
      24      a goose killed 
      28      a lamb killed
                2 ducks killed 
      29      a goose killed 
      30      a shoat 2 ducks killed

Sep. 1      a goose killed 
        2      a goose & shoat killed 
        3      a mutton killed 
        4      2 ducks killed

• Interactive Poster - Lewis and Clark Artifacts at Monticello
   
• Expedition-Related Documents (.PDF format)
   
• Timeline of the Expedition (.PDF format)
   
• Map of the Expedition (.PDF format)
   
• The Lewis and Clark Expedition and Jefferson's West - A more in-depth look at Jefferson's role in the Expedition on the Monticello website.

ACTIVITY A

Thomas Jefferson gave Captain Meriwether Lewis a detailed list of things he wanted Lewis and the Expedition to ascertain during their journey. As the explorers traveled across the continent, they encountered a number of new regions formerly unknown to Thomas Jefferson and others living on the East Coast. Thomas Jefferson asked for the following information to be found and recorded. Refer to Jefferson's Instructions to Lewis and have your students identify or locate:

• Regions on map
• Plants and Animals unique to region
• Native Americans
  • Names of the tribes
  • Traditions
  • Occupations
  • Food and clothing
  • Shelter
• Natural resources
• Climate

ACTIVITY B

Ask students the question: "If you had been chosen to join the Expedition, what would you have thought essential to pack?" Have students compare Lewis's list with their own. Refer to Capt. Lewis's packing list.

ACTIVITY C

Thomas Jefferson required members of the Expedition to keep accurate and detailed journals. Have your students keep a journal recording their daily activities.

ACTIVITY D

Lewis had planned to bring a theodolite on the journey in order to survey land and help with mapping. Upon further consideration, he concluded that it was too heavy an instrument and decided to use a sextant instead. Contact a local surveyor in your community and have him/her talk to your class about surveying and map-making.

ACTIVITY E

Have students research the importance of buffalo to Native American people and have students create masks of buffalo or other animals of the Great Plains.

ACTIVITY F

Native American tribes were very important to the Expedition. Have students write a report or give a presentation on how these tribes are active and viable today.

ACTIVITY G

Have students write a letter to Thomas Jefferson describing in detail three things found in their immediate surroundings that would be unknown to him.

ACTIVITY H

What would students choose to send to Jefferson as examples of their current culture that he would not have seen before? Refer to the Fort Mandan Packing List.

ACTIVITY I

Lead a discussion with students about the challenges encountered by the members of the Expedition. Possible topics might be:

• Physical and mental strain
• Long arduous journey
• Separation from family and friends
• Geographical challenges
• Traveling up river
• Great Falls of the Missouri River
• Mountains, Continental Divide
• Extreme weather conditions
• Wild animals
• Prickly pear cactus underfoot
• Lots of mosquitoes

ACTIVITY J

Lewis and Clark sent back numerous samples of pressed flowers and plants unknown to Thomas Jefferson. Have your students create a botanical (a notebook of pressed flowers) made up of flowers or plants found in your region. Have students properly identify the specimen by name (Latin and common) and have them measure the plants.

ACTIVITY K

Lead a discussion on what students think were the major contributions of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

ACTIVITY L

Have students create a newspaper on their experiences as members of the Expedition. Don't forget to include artwork. Possible article topics: Indian people encountered, difficulties along the trail (Great Falls, prickley pear cactus, mosquitoes, lack of food, grizzly bears, etc.), and highlights of the trip.