LITR 4326 Early American Literature Research Posts 2016 (research post assignment) Research Post 1

Melissa Holseovsky

Thomas Jefferson: On the Archaeological Record

                My initial interest in researching Thomas Jefferson was sparked through my current Anthropology class by way of assigned readings. Prior to this reading, I knew Jefferson to be one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and one of our first presidents. I did not, however, know of his impact in the world of archaeology and of his extensive record-keeping. Through my research I wanted to learn more about Jefferson’s contributions to archaeology and his detailed record-keeping.

                Kelly Santos’s first research post explores the Enlightenment Era and its influences on the life of Thomas Jefferson. Through her research, she was able to determine that Enlightenment thinking encouraged a more practical, scientific way of thinking. Directly related to this, Santos also found that Jefferson strived to understand the world around him and was always on a quest for knowledge and truth. It was this way of thinking that led to Jefferson’s significant archaeological discoveries and, consequently, his record-keeping.

                In reading the spotlight on Jefferson in Michael Chazan’s textbook, World Prehistory and Archaeology, I learned that Thomas Jefferson conducted one of the first excavations in the country in 1781 when he decided, driven by his Enlightenment thinking, to find out what was buried in the mounds on his property. Chazan includes an excerpt from Jefferson’s journal in which Jefferson lists his goal in regards to the dig and gives detailed record of the site’s location and contents. What is most remarkable is Jefferson’s attention to precise measurements when recording depths of the artifacts, or stratigraphy, and of the artifacts themselves.

                Donna West, in her article for the Department of History at Stephen F. Austin University, delves deeper into Jefferson’s contribution to archaeology. In respect to the excavation of the mounds, West states that Jefferson was the first to conclude that what was found in the mounds should be attributed to the native people of Virginia and that these people were likely of Asian descent, a concept later proven through additional archaeological finds and DNA. She goes further to say that Jefferson’s style of excavation and reporting are still seen in modern-day archaeology and his desire to study and learn from the past helped found the field itself.

                My research has led me to understand that Thomas Jefferson, living in the Enlightenment period, embodied the movement with his quest for knowledge and understanding of the world around him. With his methodology, he has made permanent contributions to the world of science and helped to found the field of archaeology. My next focus will be on the preservation of Jefferson’s findings and methods with a closer look at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

Works Cited

         Chazan, Michael. World Prehistory and Archaeology. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2014. Print.

         Fessenden, Marissa. "Thomas Jefferson Conducted Early Smallpox Vaccine Trials." 4 February 2015. Smithsonian.com. Web. 2 March 2016. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thomas-jefferson-conducted-early-smallpox-vaccine-trials-180954146/

         Santos, Kelly. "The Enlightenment Era's Influence on Thomas Jefferson and the Formation of the United States." Research Posts. Literature 4231: Early American Literature, 2014. Web.

          West, Donna C. "Thomas Jefferson, Father of American Archaeology?" 2002. Clio's Eye: A Film and Audio Visual Magazine for the Historian. Web. 2 March 2016. http://clioseye.sfasu.edu/Archives/Student%20Reviews%20Archives/JeffersonDW.htm