I used a wide variety of print and online resources for my book Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom: Faith and Liberty in Fredericksburg. I thought it might be helpful to compile some and make them available here. I have also included videos. Consider this a syllabus on the subject of Jefferson in regards to his experiences before and after he drafted the statute that changed the world. I want these online resources to help teachers, students, and the general public better understand this important moment in American history. If you are aware of any other useful resources on this subject email me at ma@pinstripepress.net.
Websites:
A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, 18 June 1779 (National Archives): https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-02-02-0132-0004-0082
California Family Counsel: Never Take Religious Freedom for Granted: https://www.californiafamily.org/2022/01/never-take-religious-freedom-for-granted/
Draft for a Bill to Establish Religious Freedom in Virginia (1779): https://cas.umw.edu/cprd/files/2011/09/Jefferson-Statute-2-versions.pdf
HISTORICAL MARKER DATABASE: Weedon’s Tavern, The City of Fredericksburg, Virginia: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=1060
Revolutionary War Journal: Colonel Weedon’s Tavern: American Revolution Patriots’ Favorite Hangout: https://www.revolutionarywarjournal.com/weedons-tavern/
Thomas Jefferson at Chatham – Fredericksburg: https://www.nps.gov/frsp/learn/historyculture/jeff.htm
Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia, Monticello: https://www.monticello.org/
Thomas Jefferson Papers, National Archives Founders Online: https://founders.archives.gov/?q=%20Author%3A%22Jefferson%2C%20Thomas%22&s=1111211111&r=1
Thomas Jefferson, Religious Freedom, And The First Amendment, History on the Net: https://www.historyonthenet.com/thomas-jefferson-religious-freedom-and-the-first-amendment
Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom (1786) – Encyclopedia Virginia: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/virginia-statute-for-establishing-religious-freedom-1786/
Letters:
“From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Lewis Bankhead, 27 February 1809,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/99-01-02-9907
“From Thomas Jefferson to Mann Page, 8 December 1793,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-27-02-0467
“From Thomas Jefferson to Hartman Elliot, 15 February 1794,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-28-02-0022
“From Thomas Jefferson to Mary Jefferson Eppes, [6 June 1798],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-30-02-0281
“From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Mann Randolph, 7 June 1798,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-30-02-0285
“From Thomas Jefferson to Martha Jefferson Randolph, 27 December 1798,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-30-02-0413
“From Thomas Jefferson to Robert Lewis, 10 November 1824,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-4677
“From Thomas Jefferson to John Hankart, 28 June 1803,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-40-02-0472
“From Thomas Jefferson to William H. Cabell, 31 July 1807,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/99-01-02-6075
“From Thomas Jefferson to George Weedon, 12 January 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-04-02-0424
“From Thomas Jefferson to George Weedon, 21 January 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-04-02-0527
“From Thomas Jefferson to George Weedon, 31 January 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-04-02-0603
“Thomas Jefferson to Miles King, 26 September 1814,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-07-02-0495
“Thomas Jefferson to Charles Thomson, 9 January 1816,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-09-02-0216
“From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 21 April 1803,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-40-02-0178-0001
“From Thomas Jefferson to Peter Carr, with Enclosure, 10 August 1787,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-12-02-0021
“V. To the Danbury Baptist Association, 1 January 1802,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-36-02-0152-0006
“Thomas Jefferson to Richard Rush, 31 May 1813,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-06-02-0155
“Thomas Jefferson to Miles King, 26 September 1814,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-07-02-0495
“Thomas Jefferson to Charles Thomson, 9 January 1816,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-09-02-0216
“Thomas Jefferson to Timothy Pickering, 27 February 1821,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-16-02-0548
“From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Whittemore, 5 June 1822,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-2850
“From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 April 1823,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-3446
“To James Madison from Thomas Jefferson, 16 December 1786,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-09-02-0108
“From Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 13 August 1786,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-10-02-0162
“Thomas Jefferson to Jacob De La Motta, 1 September 1820,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-16-02-0184
“From Thomas Jefferson to George Outlaw, 24 June 1806,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/99-01-02-3895
“Thomas Jefferson and George Wythe to Benjamin Harrison, 18 June 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-02-02-0131
“Thomas Jefferson to Francis Adrian Van der Kemp, 25 April 1816,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/03-09-02-0473
“From Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 11 April 1823,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-3446
“From Thomas Jefferson to James Smith, 8 December 1822,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-3202
“From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 21 April 1803,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-40-02-0178-0001
Videos:
Jefferson on the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, Monticello.org,
https://www.youtube.com/live/o5m0sfsz3Mk?si=J9FSuFX3S223eBzZ
Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom, Ask an Atheist, https://youtu.be/BqUxC6XMt08?si=wFOJ7de7x_-TEmgN
Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom – Thomas Jefferson (Complete Audiobook), Audio Law Library, https://youtu.be/NBHWi0rFxDk?si=NQnMTcNnR4d0G8hD
The NAKED HISTORIAN 