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Secondary sourceBook1865

The Life of Thomas Jefferson

Henry Stephens Randall · 1865

A three-volume 19th-century biography of Jefferson written by a family-connected biographer, drawing on Jefferson's papers and recollections.

A detailed early biography of Jefferson used by generations of students and historians to study his life.

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About this source

What it is

This is a biography of Thomas Jefferson written by Henry Stephens Randall and published in 1865, several decades after Jefferson's death. It was issued in three volumes and includes illustrations such as a portrait of Jefferson, a view of Monticello, and facsimiles of his papers.

Why it matters

Because it was written with access to Jefferson's family and papers, this biography became an important early source for how Americans understood Jefferson's life. It shows how Jefferson's legacy was being shaped and interpreted decades after his death, during the Civil War era.

Look closer

  • Why might a biographer with family connections give a different picture than an outside historian?
  • What does the choice of illustrations suggest about what the author thought was most important?
  • How might a biography written in 1865 differ from one written today?

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