washington george washington carver and thomas jefferson. the book was supposed to be like a biography. it was a fictional playbook. it was jefferson's companion and the book bothered me because it's a silly and not wanting to learn so exasperated because jefferson wanted to reading go to school. and i knew at the same time as the black tours and that my classmates had the intent of the author was to send a message about black people. i loved reading and i couldn't see why it had to be portrayed that way. that was my question to jefferson and i read other age-appropriate books about monticellolo and thought about slavery as well. at the same time what is that about? my interest started in school and a continued up until now i guess. >> host: is your school segregated at that point or had he been integrated? >> guest: actually i integrated at this particular school. i integrated in schools in my hometown in texas. by the time i got to the third grade things had changed. there were more black kids in school. i was there by myself the first but

and above all what thomas jefferson underlines at the very beginning of the statute is that human beings -- mind of human beings was made to be free. now, it's important to understand what jefferson is doing in the historical and intellectual context of the time. thomas jefferson was not the only person arguing for religious freedom in the 17th and 18th centuries. there were many arguments for religious freedom. you could say there was a growing number of arguments for religious freedom in this context. we know of course that thomas jefferson was a man of the enlightenment. we know he was dooply introduced by european thinkers such as russo and locke and held vashs, and gibbon. influenced by the scottish enlighten mechbt as well as the european continental enlightentment. the french enlightenent in. the english enlightentment. and these trends of course produced advocated and put forward many arguments for religious freedom. there were three arguments that i think were increasingly common in this period of european history. one was an anti-clerical argument frankly. jefferson in his time

above all, but thomas jefferson mentions of the statute is that the mind of human beings were made to be a free. jefferson was not the only one arguing for religious freedom in the 17th and 18th century, there are many arguments for religious freedom. you could say there was a growing number of arguments for religious freedom. we know of course that thomas jefferson was a man of the enlightenment. we know he was deeply influenced by european thinkers, such as rousseau, lock, and how vegas, edward gibbon. it influenced by the scottish enlightenment as well as the european enlightenment, the french indictment, the english enlightenment. the strands of thought introduced and advocated, for, many kinds of arguments for religious freedom. and there were three arguments that were increasingly common in this period of european history. one was an anti clerical argument, frankly. jefferson, and his time in france, would've been very familiar with this anti clerical strand. the real many people arguing for freedom of religion as a way to break the power of the church and of religion. which the

adams is vice-president, is a virginian, thomas jefferson. one of jefferson's vice-presidents is massachusetts gary, he's going to be one of madison's vice-presidents. so the north-south team, massachusetts and virginia is important, so, the answer to your question, the last founder, he strengthens the judiciary and he's a washington man, a hamilton man and a continentalist and he finds a partner for another reason and he and story together makes an impressive team just as washington and hamilton do, and just as madison and jefferson do. >> i think it's fair to say that both of us, if we're not exactly members of the federalist parties, we're very sympathetic to it and you know, this has been animating our talks. say something about thomas jefferson, after all, he is who he is. what does he add that's precious. >> so let me begin by saying, as a young person, i adored jefferson and was very skeptical of hamilton and you and other people changed my ideas about hamilton. vin miranda, and the book and rick changed my idea of hamilton and if it ri

it also would have been the home to our first state governors, patrick henry and thomas jefferson. the house was a very important part of the design of the town of williamsburg. the town was -- had a very orderly design and the palace would have been part of that design. it was the third largest building in town. it consisted not only of the building that we're standing in, but also two standings, extensive gardens with falling terraces, a canal. there was a laundry, a kitchen and even a cellar. we know one governor had over 5,000 -- actually almost 6,000 bottles of wine stored in his cellar. the house today is a reconstructed building on the original archaeological site. it was finished and open to the public in 1934. and since that time, it's undergone a number of refurnishings and reinterpretations. today we furnish the building as the governor dunmore was living here with his family, his wife and six of their children arrived in virginia in 1774, at the end of that year. at the end of the year, they gave birth to a daughter whom they named virginia. unfortunately things went a

>> well, my first book came out in 1997 about thomas jefferson and sallymm hemming. was about historic profession and the way certain people who were writing about jefferson primarily handled this particular story. that was my real interest to say look, i was not interested in proving this in one way or another. but one thing i did know was the historians have been treating medicine and hemmings recollection on the recollection of other people in an unfairth way. that's what my first book was really about. it came out in 1998 corroborated what i was saying. and so that led to general acceptance of the story. most of it went on to other things thinking about the gender aspect of it. thinking other aspects of monticello. in the handling of talking about slavery. people branch out to other kinds of things about writing history differently. something i've said before. people talk about revision history of sure people heardha that phrase this is just a revision of history. usually said with the majority of the vision but all historians, good historians are revising things.

>> guest: well, my first book came out in 1997, about thomas jefferson and sally hemmings. it was more about -- actually it was about historians, about the historical profession and the way certain people who were writing about jefferson primarily handled this particular story. that was my real interest to say look, you know, because i was not interested in proving this one way or another, but one thing i did know was that historians had been treating madison hemmings' recollections, the recollections of other people, in an unfair way, and so that's what my first book was really about. the dna that came out in 1998 corroborated what i was saying, and so that led to general acceptance of this story. and then people just sort of i think most people went on to talk about other things, about, you know, thinking about the gender aspects of it, thinking about other aspects of slavery at monticell and the sort of sea change in the handling of it. this something i've said before, people talk about revisionist history, i'm sure people have heard that phrase. this is just revisionist

host: in her books, annette gordan-reed wrote three books about thomas jefferson 1997. omasom jefferson and sally hemmings. then the hemmings in monticello and the most recent along with peter honest is most blessed of the patriarch why did he refer to himself that way quick. >> that's how he thought of himself he wasms comparing himself to the patriarchs of old he had power and all those kinds of things in the patriarch of thisrc area. so of course we look at that. so we insisted i put that in quotations but this was his identity we look at this as a negative i didn't want to be associated calling him that that he saw himself as a person who had responsibilities that's what he meant we look at the slaveholder and the father who had control over daughters and think this is much but he saw it is here are all the people i'm responsible for that i am supposed to take care of. s that was the image of himself. so fixating on that phrase it really meant something to him in the book is trying to figure out what that was to unpack that. host: how long have we known about sally h

and i think but very good words for thomas jefferson. with what you say but after all, he is who he is. so what does he add. akhil: let me begin by saying that as a young person, i adored if jefferson was very skeptical of hamilton. and you and other people change my ideas about hamilton. and miranda and change my ideas and are somewhat but then as much as anyone change my idea about hamilton. and then it arises and jefferson pulse but if you'd asked me in a 20, we we were a college together i would've sent you, i'm lucky enough ever to have a son, i'm going to name him jefferson greatest some ideas about jefferson have changed it but you asked me to say a good word about human especially the young jefferson, he such an idealist pretty he dreams of a world that could be better he is the architect of the weight become northwest ordinance that proposes to end slavery not just in the northwest in all western territory. any dreams of an america that is open to talent and is going to help smart kids who are not born at a privilege be able to

annette: when my first book came out in 1997 about thomas jefferson and sally hemmings, is actually abouthistoric prevention in the way that certain people were writing about jefferson primarily handle this particular story, that wass by wasting look, i was not interested in proving one way or another but one thing that i did know, was that the historians have been treating recollections of hemmings and other people in an unfair way so that was my first book is really about. and then in 1998, my book club rated with what i was saying so that led soon to the general acceptance of the storyto that people just sort of i think most people went on to talk whether things thinking about the gender aspects and other aspects of slavery in the sort of changes taking place. in the handling of talking about slavery so the talk about other kinds of things and about writing history to franco this is something that is said before. people talk about revisionist history i'm sure you've heard that phrase. usually the majority there all historians good historians are revising things, not just telling the sa

thomas jefferson. but even more important, it was the almost inevitable outcome of geography. ecause once you cross the mount, the rivers all ran down -- they were the avenues of transport. and jefferson himself sometimes wondered whether louisianans faith was with the united states. so, uber was simply -- i don't know if he was articulating, or simply letting people articulate what they thought their future might be. because if you lived in new orleans, in 1805, it took forever to get to washington or new york. and you could well ask yourself, how can those people in the east govern? that was part of what he was up to. would he have confused -- waged war against the united states? i doubt it. he only had 50 guys. so, he did not have an army to wage war with. he did hope that a war would break out between spain and the united states. so then andrew jackson so the james will consume. by the way, who really was the trader of the story. it will concern for decades was on this payroll of the spanish government, unbeknownst to this u.s. army. so, birds logic strikes us, perhaps assu

washington george washington carvers thomas jefferson and i read the jefferson biography during that year in third might -- my third-grade year inng the book s supposed to be like a biography but something that was told by a fictional enslaved boy. the book bothered me because it portrayed the enslaved boy as silly and not wanting to learn exacerbated and i knew that my classmates would send a message about black people and at the same time they were sending message about jefferson and his intelligence and i thought of myself as intelligent and curious and i wanted to learn how to read. i loved reading and i couldn't see why a slave boy had to be portrayed that way. that was my introduction to jefferson and at that time i read other age-appropriate books about monticello and thinking about slavery as well and this was a person or wrote the declaration of independence but at thee'rs same time was a slave owner and what's that about? so my interest started in school and continued up until now i guess. >> host: wisher schools segregated at that point or had he been integrated? >> guest:

period who was both kind of southern and new england, he kind of moved around in preached, loved thomas jefferson. he actually talked about -- he was a very for the bible leaving baptist. but he loved jefferson, he thought jefferson was a gift of god and he knew about jefferson to an extent about jefferson's theology that he disagreed with but he thought jefferson was just such a gift to the nation because jefferson's politics and he spoke about how he was a biblical figure something, so he had religious meaning and value for even the baptists who disagreed with him. and he valued the baptists'take on politics as they agreed so well with what he thought of as i, think you are describing it as a beautiful religion as basically morality and freedom for individuals. if you look at -- >> if you look at his account books, he was very generous in giving money to the ministers, he maintained friendships with many ministers, including ministers that he would not agreed with on theological manners and i think this was of some importance to him. when you look at jefferson's views, especially some of the an

. >> one of those founders that you've written three books about, thomas jefferson . when did your interest start in him? >> my interest in jefferson started when i was in elementary school and at the back of the classroom we had a separate library but in the back of the classroom we had a library and it had the kind of book you would expect for third-graders. this is when i was in the third grade. it had biographies of various american figures, dolly madison, booker t. washington , george washington carver ffand thomas jefferson and i read a jefferson biography. during that year, my third-grade year and the book was supposed to be like a biography of him but it was something that was told by a fictional slave boy, he was supposed to be jefferson's companion and the book bothered me because it portrayed the enslaved boy as sort of really not wanting to learn, sort of exacerbated with jefferson because jefferson wanted to read and go toschool . he enjoyed those things and i knew at the same time that as a black person that my classmates and the intent of the author was

and who was not going to let thomas jefferson get away with any sloppy prosecution. for treason s. under the constitution treason is very narrowly defined. it consists of waging war against the united states or abetting those countries at war with the united states and it has to be witnessed by two eye-witnesses. well, the prosecution couldn't get the eye-witnesses because the stuff that burr was said to have done actually happened when burr was far away. and secondly, there was no war. and marshall ruled on this that he instructed the jury, you have to acquit. well, anyway, i can't tell you the rest of the story, because i want you to read the book. in fact, i'm going to stop there, and ask questions. i see you have questions. and by the way if you have answers to questions i've thrown out i'm happy to listen to those. if you have questions raise your hand and since cspan is in the back i will repeat the question. yes, sir. okay. the question is how about the suffer jets. here's a basic problem. i write books for the purposes of expanding knowledge of history and i will say quite

as john locke and thomas jefferson both said. what both locke and jefferson called real or true happiness, which tends to be a kind of spiritual consequence of achieving certain long-term goals and values. of course there's short-term happiness, which is a kind of physical pleasure, all right, the pleasure, the happiness that you get from eating a good steak or having ice cream, but that's not really what's being meant here. the pursuit of happiness means the pursuit and the achievement of one's highest values. now, let me just add one important point here. in a sense, the most interesting word is pursuit. you have the pursuit of happiness. you don't have a right to happiness, per se, only a right to pursue it, and jefferson and all of the other founding fathers understood this to the pursuit of happiness. to have a profound moral component to it. the pursuit of happiness for certainly jefferson and adams meant to have, to employ, certain virtues. in other words, there was a profound connection for jefferson and the american revol

the white house knew occupant at this point was thomas jefferson. he'd been inaugurated in march, 1801. and we all know from jefferson's famous first inaugural where he says we are all federalists, we are all republicans. he is trying to conciliate all parties. what he really meant was we are all republicans. the federalists don't know it yet. he decides, i mean, he realizes the federalists need special treatment. one way he does this is to use one of the greatest informal resources at his disposal, the white house social life. right away, it sets up a contrast with his predecessors, with the federalist republican court. this is highly exaggerated in mid 19th century view of the artist's imagination of what martha washington's levee looked like. jefferson's were more democratic. he writes manasseh cutler to his son-in-law, in january 18 a two. a couple days into session. he writes under the new order of things, there are no levees, nothing like this. the members are invited to dine with the president. this is, i include this for the information peopl

adams is vice president and the thomas jefferson, one of jefferson's vice president and he's also one so the north and south team of massachusetts and virginia is important in the answer to question, he's the last founder, he strengthens the judiciary, he's a washington man, a hamilton man continental list he finds a partner from another region, they together an impressive team just as washington and hamilton and madison and jefferson. >> i think it's fair to say both of us if we are not exactly federalist party, we are very sympathetic, very good work with thomas jefferson i agree with what you said but after all, he is who he is so busy at? let me begin by saying as a young person from i adored jefferson and was skeptical of. you and other people changed my ideas about hamilton, lynn aranda but rick as much as anyone change my idea about hamilton if my idea about hamilton rises jefferson is going to fall, if you asked me at age 20, i would have rick, if i'm lucky enough effort to have a son, i'm going to need him jefferson soaked my views about jefferson have changed but you asked m

loved thomas jefferson -- he talked about -- and he was a fervent bible believing baptist. he loved jefferson. he thought jefferson was a gift of god. and he knew about jefferson's theology that he disagreed with, but he thought jefferson was such a gift to the nation because of jefferson's politics. and he spoke about him like he was a biblical figure or something. so, yeah, so he had religious meaning and value for -- even for baptists who disagreed with him. and he valued the baptist's take on politics because they agreed so well with what he thought of as, like you were describing as his view of religion, as basically about morality and freedom for individuals. >> if you look at his account books, he was very generous in giving money to ministers. >> yeah. >> he maintained friendships with many ministers, including ministers that he would not have agreed with on theological matters. i think was this of some importance to him. when you lock at jefferson's views, especially some of the anti-clerical statements he makes, he makes some harsh ones. i think it is useful to loo

and adams vice president is a virginian of thomas jefferson and one of jefferson's vice president is the massachusetts also going to be one of madison's vice presidents of the north and south team of massachusetts and virginia is important so the answer to your question about john marshall is the last founder and he strengthens the judiciary and is a washington man and hamilton man continental list and he finds a partner from another region and he is regular, they bill brilliant and impressive teams. and madison and jefferson orbiting. richard: think that it is fair to say that both of us are not exactly members of the fabulous party, we are very sympathetic get too it. this is animating our talk for the last few minutes. so say good work for thomas jefferson pretty i agree with what you said but after all, he is who he is so what does he add to this pressure. sue and let me begin by saying as a younger person, i adored jefferson's were skeptical of hamilton. and yet other people have changed my ideas about hamilton, miranda, she's my idea and others. and i change my idea about hamil

if you were to take a time machine, 1783 asked thomas jefferson about his summation, he would answera. there wasn't a sense of national identity, not a capitol letter united states, a small q, the states so washington knew we needed to set unity, national pride, national debt. we need to come together as a nation, otherwise this will never happen. next slide so this country went from 1775, the start of the revolutionary war all the way until 1800. twenty-five years, a quarter of a century without a permanent capitol city, without a seat of government, no way to start a nation without having a capitol city. you can see some possible cities that were considered. over 30 cities were considered as a possibility for capitol. everyone in connecticut went to connecticut, everyone in delaware wanted -- if in massachusetts wanted boston. but he wanted the capitol to be in another state they all knew political power would follow the capitol, and economic boom no one wanted another city to have a leg up, everybody wanted their own city. for 25 years, there is a fight over where the capitol city

there is a book on frederick douglass paired i write about thomas jefferson. the memoir part is more personal. the number of people call me doctor gordon reed. i am not a doctor. i am fortunately an appointment in history in the do not have i did it backwards but i wrote a my book and then i got into the department. so i'm just professort gordon reed or gordon reed or annette depending on how well you know me. went the next call for annette gordon reed is from martha in maine. go ahead martha. >> caller: hi peter. i missed a part of the program so i hope i'm not repeating a someone else for professor gordon reed. i am a retired maryland public school teacher. i am very upset about the controversy you 1619 project and the pulitzer organization offering $5000 to underpaid school teachers to teach, whatever that is supposed to be. i'm really quite upset about it i would like her knowledge or opinion please. >> host: thank you martha. >> guest: i knows is a controversial subject for people. i don't know about paying people, i don't know anything abouteo that progr

jefferson and madison team up. adams makes enemies. he teams up only with abigail. he first hates thomas hutchinson. then he's t going to feud with hamilton h even though hamilton was trying to help them in various ways. he starts off friendly with jefferson then they become rivals. teams are important. jefferson and madisonn team. hamilton and washington team up. marshall finds eight teammate of the greats, the teams in america at work particularly well when they combine in north and south. in particular massachusetts and virginia story is nimassachusetts. think about all of the other virginia, massachusetts team, rhetorically james otis from magic massachusetts john henry from virginia. your first president and vice president are george washington and john adams they work together in 1776 by the way so did jefferson and adams. again a virginia and massachusetts person. adams is a vice president as a virginian one of jefferson's vice president as a massachusetts guy he is also going to be one of madison's vice president's. the north/south theme of massachusetts and virginia is important. the answer

as perfect example of this, what we do with thomas jefferson, the man who penned the storyboards of the declaration of independence about equality while holding people enslaved in bondage and having a controversial then and now relationship with sally hemmings. the fact though that you have william william byrd ii, thomas jefferson, these men are in some cases the most, the horrifying thing about them is they are not unusual in this sense. this is in some ways a very american story which i think is something to be wrestled with. so again i think there's a landon carter's or you could tell in colonial williamsburg but hope they're also making an effort to give you the flip side of that. that i think is the conundrum with places like bird park. you just go and he thought anything about it, do your own research on this and check it out on the internet, but it's just mention it's named for william byrd ii who is one of the founders of richmond, vacuumed a lot of the property upon which it was established, the city. nothing is mentioned about is really horrible mistreatment of enslaved p

thomas jefferson and others wanted a simple brick federal fl town. no, washington wanted rome built on the potomac river. he wanted it near the potomac river. washington had what other founders would joke or call potomac fever. george was not well traveled. washington thought that the potomac was equal to the sin, the thames, the danube, the rhine all put together. like the potomac but it's hardly equal but the potomac connected the community next to it, the future capital city with the chesapeake which meant access to the the atlantic. also the potomac flows westward. it would unite maryland, virginia, pennsylvania, and the roads from the edges of the tributaries of the potomac would run west into what is today the ohio territory, pittsburgh, and so forth and so on. so the potomac would then connect north and south as was equal distance between the two, connect east and west that would serve to function, it would serve to unite the new capital city with the atlantic ocean and so on and so forth. that's washington's vision. next. now, in the constitu

thomas jefferson and others wanted a simple brick federal town. no. washington wanted rome built on the potomac river. he wanted it near the potomac river. washington at what other founders would joke and call potomac fever. george was not well-traveled. washington not that the potomac was equal to the danube, the rhine all put together. like the potomac, but it's hardly equal to any one of those yet alone all of them. .. pittsburgh and so forth and so on so the potomac would then connect north and south as it was equidistant between the two and east and west and it served to unite the new capital city with the atlantic ocean and so on and so forth . that'swashington's vision . next >> in the constitution over the debate over the capital city, article 1, section eight, it agreed the capital city should be 10 miles square. it's 100 miles. what it means is this capital city almost laughably will be larger than paris, london, the great capitals of the world yet it would be built out of logs and wood. the question remains where these 10 miles square d. ne

at first she thanks about doing that but jefferson thomas heard jefferson thomas said they come back to the united states, to live a good life at monticello and any children they have would be free with her 21. and she comes back with him for it she could come back with her because she trusteded him to carry that out. she was 16 years old a 15 or in the 18th centuries not the same we think of today there are still people who were young and impressionable. and she comes back with him on that and in fact what he said he was going to do, he did. but we don't know anything more about it. i think about this is all in his power when she comes back to us in his power. it strikes me as unlikely he would maintain a purely sexual interest in her for 38 years. that would not be the first thought you would have in your mind the way people act in the circumstances but you don't know. you don't have her words about him. you don't have his words about her. they talk only about him and i mention this and monticello he dies, she keeps items that belong to him and give them to her children, and heirlo

thomas jefferson claims the new york city may never have as far as i can learn, ten months of winter. only two of summer and agree right now, some of the snow and instead of new york city, belongs for the company springfield. he describes new york city is overrun by dogs and garbage in a much else. so no one like new york city, this can only months in new york city and there was a deal cut. next slide. >> due will be cut new york city on june 20th, 7090, and what is probably the second most biggest dinner party in history, behind the last last supper. in the dinner party was between you can see the picture, jefferson, anderson hamilton and madison and jefferson were allies and federalist in hamilton with their nemesis in the federalist. two issues are trying to contend with. where should the capitol city b and the other was how should it look at how do we build it into to be a simple brick federal house or a glorious well and asked capitol the second argument was assumption, we are in debt after the war and so jefferson calls for the dinner party. he and madison are going to team up a

my question is about thomas jefferson. know about the relationship, obviously he own her baby ony her and was there just, she was handy. there were many women i'm sure who would've been more than happy to be his companion. i understand that he promised his wife he would not remarry. what do we know about the interpersonal is much as we can know about that. >> thank you jim. >> while we don't know anything specific about the nature of their connection. there are people say that they can only be right because the as you mentioned he own her. his grandchildren, couple great-grandchildren. trying togh get the precise numr here right. they talked about how her that he loved her mr. jefferson loved her dearly they said they don't talk about how she felt about him read and once she comes back to the united states with him, this is something that started n they were in france and her brother james, could taking their freedom there. in a first he thinks about doing that, and he promises her that she comes back then jefferson promis

we should be celebrating thomas jefferson through the declaration of independence. ironically jefferson on his tombstone in charlottesville, virginia did not want to be known as the president of the united states produce more proud of offering the declaration and being a founder of virginia and other aspects of the career. jefferson i think should be a little higher coming out recently in these polls. because of the one big thing he did, the louisiana purchase when you doubled the size of america and one swoop of diplomacy is such a large game changing event what jefferson did. but one of the things i want viewers to understand is jefferson does not get credit in the polls for doing the declaration of independence that's before he became president. we were just focusing on the president. john adams and jefferson i call one of their intellectual feuds was aware did the american revolution start? adams always believed it began with the boston tea party and the boston massacre. it really began in massachusetts. jefferson clung to the idea it was patrick henry who launch

and the papers ofy thomas jefferson, and another book that is currently reading. our guest book tv for the past two hours, we very much relative ghettos interviewing top nonfiction authors about their latest work. >> i am so delighted to have this opportunity to sit down and talk with you robin diangelo prayed so exciting. >> thank you so so muchyo and is pretty. >> so it seems like a basic question but it'

thomas jefferson claimed to have ten months of winter and only two of summer and this belongs on theompany of springfield and they spent only months in new york city and then there was a deal cut. next slide. and then on june 20th 1790 probably the second most famous dinner party in history behind the last supper. the dinner party, jefferson, madison and hamilton. and hamilton was their nemesis. there were two big issues to contend with and wish of the capital city b and then how do we build that? or a glorious romanesque capital. we were in debt after the war. so jefferson calls for the dinner party and then what would happen with the dinner party to resolve all the issues and hamilton would play them like a guitar to play victim to get everything he wanted. virginia said were not paying our debt. the south did not want to pay the debt hamilton wanted the debt to be paid and says you don't have to pay your debt but little did jefferson know if the south will not pay the debt then that means the federal government can come in and assume the debt under the treasury. who was the secret

we should be celebrating thomas jefferson through the declaration of independence. ironically jefferson on his tombstone in charlottesville, virginia did not want to be known as the president of the united states produce more proud of offering the declaration and being a founder of virginia and other aspects of the career. jefferson i think should be a little higher coming out recently in these polls. because of the one big thing he did, the louisiana purchase when you doubled the size of america and one swoop of diplomacy is such a large game changing event what jefferson did. but one of the things i want viewers to understand is jefferson does not get credit in the polls for doing the declaration of independence that's before he became president. we were just focusing on the president. john adams and jefferson i call one of their intellectual feuds was aware did the american revolution start? adams always believed it began with the boston tea party and the boston massacre. it really began in massachusetts. jefferson clung to the idea it was patrick henry who launch