Thomas Jefferson

Kraft advertisement in the Ladies’ Home Journal, 1948

A Brief History of America's Appetite for Macaroni and Cheese

Popularized by Thomas Jefferson, this versatile dish fulfills our nation's quest for the 'cheapest protein possible'

What's the Difference Between Moths and Butterflies and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

The Whiskey Rebellion

The First Presidential Pardon Pitted Alexander Hamilton Against George Washington

How to handle the Whiskey Rebellion was the first major crisis faced by the new government

A census enumerator's records from the 1790 census, the first-ever to be conducted in the United States.

The First US Census Only Asked Six Questions

America’s founders agreed that the census was important, but it wasn’t long

The United States's version of the Imperial system is based on an older British version.

America Has Been Struggling With the Metric System For More Than 200 Years

The United States is the one of the world's only holdouts at this point, but it could have been the first country outside of France to adopt the system

When the writing box is unfolded, it offers a slanted writing surface, a drawer to hold inkwells and quills, and plenty of room for paper.

History Was Writ Large on This Desk Belonging to Thomas Jefferson

The ingenuity of this clever writing box was matched only by the young republic's innovative declaration for nationhood

The hearth Hemings may have warmed herself by in Monticello's south wing.

Sally Hemings Gets Her Own Room at Monticello

A renovation at Thomas Jefferson's estate will give the slave he likely fathered at least six children with a display in what may have been her quarters

Horatio Greenough’s 12-ton marble statue of George Washington heralds the newly reopened west wing gallery.

Renovated Museum Wing Delves Into Untold Chapters of American History

“The Nation We Build Together” questions American ideals through exhibits on democracy, religion, diversity and more

Aaron Burr exhorting his followers at Blennerhassett Island Ohio River 1805

Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr and the American Way of Treason

The U.S. had good reason to be cautious about drawing a line between disloyalty and conduct deserving of prosecution

Thaddeus Kosciuszko

The Polish Patriot Who Helped Americans Beat the British

Thaddeus Kosciuszko engineered the colonial defenses in some of the Revolution's most critical battles

Did John Adams Out Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings?

A scholar makes the intriguing case that Adams gossiped about the relationship years before the news erupted in public

The key to the Bastille, as held in Mount Vernon's collections.

How the Key to the Bastille Ended Up in George Washington’s Possession

A gift from an old friend is one of Mount Vernon’s most fascinating objects

Family Discovers Rare Letters by Thomas Jefferson

In the two letters selling for over $300,000 each, Jefferson opines on the War of 1812 and his dislike for Alexander Hamilton's economics

Mary Kies' patented technique wove silk and straw together to make fetching bonnets like this 1815 specimen.

Meet Mary Kies, America’s First Woman to Become a Patent Holder

Brains plus bonnets equal a historic first

The Oldest Chemistry Lab in America?

A classroom designed by Thomas Jefferson was rediscovered

The Thomas Jefferson original granite base and obelisk is now complete with a Smithsonian-made reproduction of the marble plaque and on view at the University of Missouri.

Bringing Thomas Jefferson's Battered Tombstone Back to Life

The founding father's fragile grave marker has survived for centuries, enduring souveniring, a fire and errant repairs

Patience Wright, c. 1782. Artist unknown.

The Madame Tussaud of the American Colonies Was a Founding Fathers Stalker

Patience Wright remained independence-minded in her correspondence with Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson

Henry Wiencek's book "Master of the Mountain" has caused much debate amongst Jefferson scholars this month.

Henry Wiencek Responds to His Critics

The author of a new book about Thomas Jefferson makes his case and defends his scholarship

The Dark Side of Thomas Jefferson

A new portrait of the founding father challenges the long-held perception of Thomas Jefferson as a benevolent slaveholder

President William Howard Taft and his sons, Robert, right, and Charles Phelps.

When the Country's Founding Father Is Your Founding Father

The descendants of American presidents are the athletic trainers, lawyers, salesmen and executives of everyday life

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