Portrait of a Revolutionary : Thomas Jefferson and the Coming of the American Revolution

This thesis is a study of Thomas Jefferson’s development into a major figure in the American Revolution, both politically and intellectually, and his role in the movement through 1776 and the writing of the Declaration of Independence. The purpose of the study is to help insure an understanding of the factors that drew Jefferson into the movement and the contributions that he made to it. Included in the work is a study of the development of revolutionary ideals before Jefferson's entrance, Jefferson's early life and education, as well as his participation in the movement. The primary source of material for this thesis is Volume I of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, edited by Julian Boyd, although many other primary and secondary sources have been used.