Thomas Jefferson Religious Beliefs

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Siyu Qin Analysis of the Religious Beliefs of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson is an extremely eminent figure in the American history and is remembered widely for his contributions towards the development of the American society. He was an architect, agriculturist and an inventor, all at the same time, while also being a successful political figure in the country and serving as the third president of United States of America . Thomas Jefferson’s name is included in the list of people who are considered to have set the foundation of the country as well, for his contribution in drafting the Declaration of Independence1. As an inventor he is credited for the invention of the Great Clock which he kept at his self-designed house in Monticello.…show more content…
Therefore, this essay begins with his historical background. Thomas Jefferson was born on 13th April, 1743 in Virginia . He belonged to large family of more than eight siblings. His father, Peter Jefferson, was a landowner and had immense ambitions for becoming a pioneer and even possessed the qualities for it. He was a member of the House of Burgesses and was also chosen to work with eminent people in continuing the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina . He was an avid reader and possessed a great desire for knowledge, which he fulfilled by reading the works of noted essayists, historians and literary authors like Shakespeare. The family of Thomas Jefferson was deeply religious as well and they used to recite their prayers for three to four times during the day. A major reason for this spirituality was Peter Jefferson’s interest in reading the Bible, which he considered to be one of the richest sources of English…show more content…
From a very early age, he was oriented towards religion and education. He received the best education available at his time and that became responsible for a very large extent of his inclination towards various languages and fields of science. He became proficient in French, Latin and Greek, studied history and science and developed a great interest in the subjects of mathematics and philosophy3. This academic background of Thomas Jefferson was largely responsible for his involvement in the Age of Enlightenment, which was a major intellectual movement in the American and Western European countries in the seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries . This Age of Enlightenment was a phenomenon characterized by the emphasis laid upon reason oriented thinking among the individuals and the overall society. In other words, this movement associated with spreading of the “age of reasoning” . The idea was to propagate public education, overall democracy in the society, promotion of equality and social justice for all, and thus making the overall society a lot more productive and developed. Freedom and equality for women, liberalism and technological revolutions were all part of this movement and Thomas Jefferson was a major proponent of this movement in
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