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Thomas Jefferson was one of the great men of the Revolution. He was not a soldier. He was not a great speaker. But he was a great thinker. And he was a great writer.

He wrote a paper that was the very beginning of the United States. It was a paper that said that we would be free from England, and be a country by ourselves. We call that paper the Declaration of Independence.

When he was a boy, Jefferson was fond of boyish plays. But when he was tired of play, he took up a book. It pleased him to learn things. From the time when he was a boy he never sat down to rest without a book.

At school he learned what other boys did. But the difference between him and most other boys was this: he did not stop with knowing just what the other boys knew. Most boys want to learn what other boys learn. Most girls would like to know what their schoolmates know. But Jefferson wanted to know a great deal more.

As a young man, Jefferson knew Latin and Greek. He also knew French and Spanish and Italian.

He did not talk to show off what he knew. He tried to learn what other people knew. When he talked to a wagon maker, he asked him about such things as a wagon maker knows most about. He would sometimes ask how a wagon maker would go to work to make a wheel.

When Jefferson talked to a learned man, he asked him about those things that this man knew most about. When he talked with Indians, he got them to tell him about their language. That is the way he came to know so much about so many things. Whenever anybody told him anything worthwhile, he wrote it down as soon as he could.

One day Jefferson was traveling. He went on horseback. That was a common way of traveling at that time. He stopped at a country tavern. At this tavern, he talked with a stranger who was staying there.

After a while Jefferson rode away. Then the stranger said to the landlord, "Who is that man? He knew so much about law, that I was sure he was a lawyer. But when we talked about medicine, he knew so much about that, that I thought he must be a doctor. And after a while he seemed to know so much about religion, that I was sure he was a minister. Who is he?"

The stranger was very much surprised to hear that the man he had talked with was Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson was a very polite man. One day his grandson was riding with him. They met a man. The man lifted his cap and bowed. Jefferson bowed to the man. But his grandson did not think it worthwhile to bow.

Then Jefferson said to his grandson, "Do not let another man be more of a gentleman than you are." In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson wrote these words: "All men are created equal." He also said that the poor man had the same right as the rich man to live, and to be free, and to try to make himself happy.

Directions

Study the lesson for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read the story multiple times.
  • Review the synopsis.
  • Study the vocabulary words.
  • Learn the concepts.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.
  • Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Thomas Jefferson was a great thinker and writer during the Revolutionary War. He wrote the Declaration of Independence, one of the most important papers written for America. As a boy, Jefferson loved to read and learn from other people. Jefferson once spoke with a man in a tavern. The man later said that Jefferson knew so much about everything, he first thought Jefferson was a lawyer, then a doctor, and then a minister. Another time, when Jefferson and his nephew rode horseback, a man lifted his cap and bowed. Jefferson bowed back to the man. Jefferson's nephew did not think Jefferson should have bowed. Jefferson told his grandson, 'Do not let another man be more of a gentleman than you are.' Jefferson later added the line 'All men are created equal' to the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson also said that all people have the same right to life, to be free, and to try to make themselves happy.

Vocabulary

Tavern: A business that serves drinks and sometimes food.
Landlord: A person, especially a man, who rents land, a building, or an apartment to others.
Lawyer: A person who practices or studies law.
Minister: A member of the clergy, especially in Protestant churches.

Concepts

In the story, a man was polite to Jefferson, and Jefferson was polite back to the man. Jefferson wrote, 'All men are created equal,' and that we all have the right to life, to be free, and to try to be happy.

The Declaration of Independence declared that America was free from British rule. It also outlined basic human rights that should be given to all.

  1. The Declaration of Independence includes the following famous line: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'
  2. Remember that you should treat all with respect and politeness, just as Jefferson did.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Narrate the Story

  • After reading or listening to the story, narrate the story events aloud using your own words.

Activity 2: Color the Story   

  • Click the crayon above, and complete page 31 of 'History Coloring Pages for First Grade.'

Activity 3: Act Out the Story

Be extra polite three times this week. For example, you might:

  • Say some extra 'pleases', 'thank yous' or 'your welcomes.'
  • Hold a door for others.
  • Say 'excuse me' as you pass by someone.
  • Make sure not to interrupt others while they are talking.
  • Make an extra effort at dinner to polish up your table manners.

Review

Question 1

Why did the man in the tavern think Jefferson was a lawyer, then a doctor, and then a minister?
1 / 3

Answer 1

Jefferson read so much and tried to learn from everyone he met, he knew a lot about many things.
1 / 3

Question 2

Why did Jefferson bow to the man?
2 / 3

Answer 2

The man bowed to Jefferson. Bowing back in return was polite and respectful. People deserve to be treated politely and with respect.
2 / 3

Question 3

Why didn't Jefferson's nephew think Jefferson should bow to the man?
3 / 3

Answer 3

Jefferson's nephew did not think it was worthwhile for Jefferson to bow to the man.
3 / 3

  1. Why did the man in the tavern think Jefferson was a lawyer, then a doctor, and then a minister? Jefferson read so much and tried to learn from everyone he met, he knew a lot about many things.
  2. Why did Jefferson bow to the man? The man bowed to Jefferson. Bowing back in return was polite and respectful. People deserve to be treated politely and with respect.
  3. Why didn't Jefferson's nephew think Jefferson should bow to the man? Jefferson's nephew did not think it was worthwhile for Jefferson to bow to the man.

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