er influence on the way Jefferson thought about certain topics, especially the natural- rights doctrine. The Revolution happened at the peak of Jeffersons life and his fanaticism about reform, it stirred many of his most creative works. During this time he started the reform of freedom of thought and religion, he said that no one should be discriminated against, legally or politically, because of religious dissent. The Anglican was very prominent and distinguished and Jefferson took the liberty of disestablishing it. Although some of Jeffersons goals were reached and did have a good amount of impact on the people, they were blown out of proportion by many historians and biographers alike. Many called Jefferson and his colleagues, Revolutionists putting through a sweeping plan of reform, destroying Virginia aristocracy, and laying the foundations for democratic government.(Page 28) Many biographers were very critical of Jeffersons attempts to abolish slavery at this time, while in fact, he did write up a bill for the gradual release of slave, but never fought very hard for it. Jefferson tried his hardest to avoid conflict, at reasonable cost, and this new idea just might have bothered the public too much for it to be worth following through. At the age of thirty- eight Jefferson was ready to retire completely from a life of politics when the death of his wife changed his mind. From 1785 to 1789 he was the American Minister to France where his experiences influenced the direction of his political thinking. From his less than desirable tour of Europe Jefferson concluded, That America, with its republican government, broad distribution of landed property, agrarian economy, and oceanic isolation, was the chosen spot of the earth.(Page 30) Jefferson was a very generous man, often times against his own well- being, that went to the extremes of borrowing money to give to the poor and entertained more extravagantly than he could aff...
