Lessons on American Presidents.com
  Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States. He was born in 1743 in Virginia and died on July 4, 1826. He was the third of ten children and grew up on his father’s 5,000-acre plantation. He studied law at college. Jefferson is frequently listed as one of the USA’s greatest Presidents. He was also one of its most powerful advocates of personal freedom and envisioned a great “Empire of Liberty”.

Jefferson became a lawyer in 1767 and had a great love of books. He was a very eloquent correspondent using the written word, but was no public speaker. At the age of 33, Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. In the following years, he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia. Most notably, he wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, which became law in 1786.

Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as minister to France in 1785. His sympathy for the French Revolution led him into conflict with the party of the Federalists. He gradually assumed leadership of the Republicans and became Vice President in 1796. In 1801, he became America’s third President and served from 1801 to 1809. He advocated tax cuts and presided over the abolition of the slave trade in 1807.

While in Office, Jefferson purchased the vast Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 and authorized expeditions to explore the new west. He also established the University of Virginia and the US Military Academy at West Point. He is remembered by the Jefferson Memorial in Washington and as one of the four sculpted presidents on the Mount Rushmore Memorial. He also appears on US postage stamps.

Article adapted from www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/thomasjefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States. He was born in 1743 in Virginia and died on July 4, 1826. ________________ ten children and grew up on his father’s 5,000-acre plantation. He studied law at college. Jefferson is _________________ one of the USA’s greatest Presidents. He was also one of its most powerful advocates of personal freedom and ________________ “Empire of Liberty”.

Jefferson became a lawyer in 1767 and had a great love of books. He was a very ________________ using the written word, but was no public speaker. At the age of 33, Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. In ________________, he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia. Most notably, he wrote a bill ________________ freedom, which became law in 1786.

Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as minister to France in 1785. His sympathy for the French Revolution led ________________ with the party of the Federalists. He gradually ________________ of the Republicans and became Vice President in 1796. In 1801, he became America’s third President and served from 1801 to 1809. He advocated tax cuts and presided over the ________________ slave trade in 1807.

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States. He was born in 1743 in Virginia and died on July 4, 1826. He was the rihtd of ten children and grew up on his father’s 5,000-acre plantation. He studied law at college. Jefferson is frequently listed as one of the USA’s retaesgt Presidents. He was also one of its most powerful advocates of personal eomrefd and envisioned a great “Empire of Liberty”.

Jefferson became a lawyer in 1767 and had a great love of books. He was a very euoqtnel correspondent using the written word, but was no public speaker. At the age of 33, Jefferson trfaded the Declaration of Independence. In the following years, he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia. Most notably, he wrote a bill establishing religious efrmoed, which became law in 1786.

Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as mirsniet to France in 1785. His sympathy for the French Revolution led him into fliotccn with the party of the Federalists. He gradually assumed leadership of the Republicans and became Vice President in 1796. In 1801, he became America’s third President and served from 1801 to 1809. He advocated tax cuts and presided over the oabliinto of the slave trade in 1807.

While in Office, Jefferson purchased the vast Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 and authorized expeditions to lproexe the new west. He also established the University of Virginia and the US Military Academy at West Point. He is remembered by the Jefferson Memorial in Washington and as one of the four lstuedcp presidents on the Mount Rushmore Memorial. He also resapap on US postage stamps.

  UNJUMBLE THE WORDS

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States. He was born in 1743 in Virginia and died on July 4, 1826. He was the third of ten children acre and grew up on his father’s 5 , 000 - plantation. He studied law at college. Jefferson is frequently listed Presidents one the greatest as of USA’s. He was also one of its most of advocates powerful and freedom personal envisioned a great “Empire of Liberty”.

Jefferson became a books 1767 a of in had love lawyer and great. He was eloquent very a word written the using correspondent, but was no public speaker. At the age of 33, Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence. In the following years, he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia. Most notably, he wrote a establishing bill law became which , freedom religious in 1786.

Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as minister to France in 1785. sympathy His him led Revolution French the for into conflict with the party of the Federalists. He gradually assumed and Republicans the of leadership President Vice became in 1796. In 1801, he became America’s third President and served from 1801 to 1809. the over presided and cuts tax advocated He abolition of the slave trade in 1807.

Jefferson While purchased in the Office vast , Louisiana Territory from France and expeditions explore 1803 authorized to in the new west. He also established the University of Virginia and the US Military Academy at West Point. He is remembered by the Jefferson in of Washington the and four as Memorial one sculpted presidents on the Mount Rushmore Memorial. He also appears on US postage stamps.

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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  STUDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Thomas Jefferson in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write about Thomas Jefferson for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

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  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Thomas Jefferson. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Thomas Jefferson. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. THOMAS JEFFERSON POSTER Make a poster about Thomas Jefferson. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY THOMAS JEFFERSON LESSON: Make your own English lesson on Thomas Jefferson. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished.

6. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Thomas Jefferson. Share your findings with the class.