The complex life of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote that "all men are created equal" yet owned slaves, is recounted by master filmmaker Ken Burns in this probing documentary. Covering Jefferson's diplomatic work in France, his two presidential terms, his retirement at Monticello and more.
A young Thomas Jefferson from the Virginia wilderness is transformed by the fire of Enlightenment into his country's most articulate voice for human liberty. Torn between serene family life at Monticello and his passion for politics, Jefferson suffers heartrending personal loss, even as he gives voice to a new era of democratic government. He travels to Paris as U.S. minister to France as George Washington supports the rising French Revolution.
Returning from France, Jefferson strives to preserve the new, fragile American government and helps create the first political party. As third party of the United states, he doubles the size of the country through the Louisiana Purchase but faces controversy and scandal, finally retiring to his beloved Monticello. By the end of his remarkable life, he had advanced the cause of religious, political, and intellectual freedom everywhere and changed the course of human events.
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Gwyneth Paltrow | Jefferson's Grandaughter |
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Ossie Davis | Narrator |
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Sam Waterston | Thomas Jefferson |
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Gore Vidal | Himself - Writer |
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Michael Potts | Isaac |
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George Will | Himself - Writer |
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Joseph Ellis | Himself - Historian |
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Garry Wills | Himself - Historian |
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John Hope Franklin | Himself - Historian |
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Clay Jenkinson | Himself - Historian |
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Andrew Burstein | Himself - Historian |
| Director | Ken Burns |
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| Writer | Geoffrey C. Ward | |
| Producer | Ken Burns, Mark Hall, Camilla Rockwell, Sherry Smith, Susanna Steisel | |
| Photography | Ken Burns, Peter B. Hutton, Allen Moore, Buddy Squires | |
| Packaging | Keep Case |
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| Nr Discs | 1 |
| Distributor | Paramount Home Entertainment |
| Layers | Single side, Single layer |
| Regions | Region 1 |
| Watched | |
|---|---|
| Index | 273 |
| Added Date | Jan 02, 2013 16:42:04 |
| Modified Date | Oct 12, 2015 03:41:39 |