audiobook Religion; Politics; and the Moral Life (Selected Writings of Michael Oakeshott) by Michael Oakeshott in History

Description

Merging archaeology; material culture; and social history; historian Susan Kern reveals the fascinating story of Shadwell; the birthplace of Thomas Jefferson and home to his parents; Jane and Peter Jefferson; their eight children; and over sixty slaves. Located in present-day Albemarle County; Virginia; Shadwell was at the time considered "the frontier." However; Kern demonstrates that Shadwell was no crude log cabin; it was; in fact; a well-appointed gentry house full of fashionable goods; located at the center of a substantial plantation.Kern’s scholarship offers new views of the family’s role in settling Virginia as well as new perspectives on Thomas Jefferson himself. By examining a variety of sources; including account books; diaries; and letters; Kern re-creates in rich detail the daily lives of the Jeffersons at Shadwell—from Jane Jefferson’s cultivation of a learned and cultured household to Peter Jefferson’s extensive business network and oversight of a thriving plantation.Shadwell was Thomas Jefferson’s patrimony; but Kern asserts that his real legacy there came from his parents; who cultivated the strong social connections that would later open doors for their children. At Shadwell; Jefferson learned the importance of fostering relationships with slaves; laborers; and powerful office holders; as well as the hierarchical structure of large plantations; which he later applied at Monticello. The story of Shadwell affects how we interpret much of what we know about Thomas Jefferson today; and Kern’s fascinating book is sure to become the standard work on Jefferson's early years.