"The fact is that one idea leads to another, that to a 3d, and so on thro' a course of time, until some one, with whom no one of these ideas was original, combines all together, and produces what is justly called a new invention" --Thomas Jefferson, 1818
Visitors to Monticello often think of Jefferson as an inventor, but he was really more of an innovator. Rather than creating original ideas, Jefferson generally improved upon or adapted items already in existence.
Monticello was a laboratory for Jefferson's innovative adaptation of technology and design.
ArchitectureJefferson's "essay in architecture," constructed by enslaved craftsmen and hired artisans, combined classical, neo-classical, and Jeffersonian concepts to create an American and icon
Windows & LightDrawing on his experience in Europe, Jefferson's innovative use of windows and skylights flooded the house with light and masked the physical size of the structure
Spherical SundialThomas Jefferson’s sundial was something of a novelty in its time. There is no evidence that spherical dials were in use in North America before Jefferson's design, although various types existed in Europe.
Gadgets
Jefferson often experimented with technological improvements amassed a wide-ranging collection of gadgets and machines at Monticello.
PolygraphJefferson owned several "Hawkins-Peale" polygraph copying machines, which he described as "the finest invention of the present age"
DumbwaitersWith "a greater eye to convenience," Jefferson employed a number of mechanical gadgets at Monticello, including several different types of dumbwaiters
Lightning RodBenjamin Franklin's lightning rods found a home at Monticello
Textile TechnologyMonticello's enslaved women operated complex machines to boost production for Jefferson's textile operations
TimekeepingJefferson filled Monticello with timekeeping devices, some made to his own specifications, including an astronomical clock and the house's Great Clock
Air PumpThe Vacuum Air Pump in Jefferson's Parlor reflects his fascination with scientific gadgets
Science and Exploration
"Nobody wishes more than I do that ingenuity should receive liberal encouragement" --Thomas Jefferson, 1807
Jefferson and Robert FultonThomas Jefferson and Robert Fulton were friends who shared many common interests and corresponded about inventions and projects, like the Erie Canal
Patents"An act of Congress authorising the issuing patents for new discoveries has given a spring to invention beyond my conception" - Thomas Jefferson, 1790
Jefferson's Instructions for the Lewis and Clark ExpeditionIn evaluating Jefferson's instructions to Meriwether Lewis, Edgar Allan Poe wrote: "The sage, who had conceived and matured the plan of the expedition to the far west, in his instructions to its commander under his own signature, has left us a model worthy of all imitation."
"Nobody wishes more than I do that ingenuity should receive liberal encouragement" --Thomas Jefferson, 1807
Jefferson's writings reveal his lifelong promotion of invention and innovation, driven by his Age of Enlightenment belief that that the human condition could be continually improved. While Secretary of State, Jefferson granted the first American patent and his basic principles for granting copyrights remain in effect today.
Robert FultonThomas Jefferson and Robert Fulton were friends who shared many common interests and corresponded about inventions and projects, like the Erie Canal
Patents"An act of Congress authorising the issuing patents for new discoveries has given a spring to invention beyond my conception" - Thomas Jefferson, 1790
OdometerJefferson's acquisition of odometers reflects his fascination with calculating the shortest route between destinations
Explore Related Topics
Science & ExplorationCheck out the entries on science & exploration in the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia
The EnlightenmentFirst person-interpreter Bill Barker discusses Jefferson and the Enlightenment in this livestream
