CONSTITUTION
“By 1787, many leaders feared that the new country would fall apart without a stronger Central government. They called for a meeting of delegates from all of the states. The goal was to make changes in the Articles of Confederation. But once the delegates had gathered, they realized that a bigger change was needed. They wrote a brand-new document. It is called the Constitution.”

LINCOLN
"As a young 'un, Abe Lincoln wasn't the sort of fellow you'd think would grow up to become president. Sure, he was a hard worker when he had to be. But give him a few minutes of free time, and he had his nose in a book. If he wasn't reading, he probably was delighting a willing audience with a knee-slappingly funny story. But young Abe was anything but aimless. With a few deeply held beliefs and a . . . "

LEWIS & CLARK
"On March 4, 1801, a tall, red-headed Virginian named Thomas Jefferson was sworn in as the third president of a very young United States of America. The country was small - tiny, compared to its present size. Americans knew that a great expanse of land lay west of the Mississippi River. They knew Indians lived there; some white trappers had ventured into it, but no one had any real idea what was. . . "

1776
"1776 -- what an amazing year! By the end of it, many Americans were no longer loyal subjects of Britain's King George III. Instead, they were proud citizens of a new nation. Of course, this didn't happen in just 12 months. By 1776, Britain and 13 of its North American colonies had been arguing with each other off and on for many years. Still, when 1776 began, many colonists believed that the two sides . . . "

WASHINGTON
"When George Washington died in 1799, General Henry Lee summed up his many achievements in just a few words. Washington, he said, was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Most people remember Washington as the nation's first president, but he was also an outstanding military leader. He led the nation to victory in the American Revolution, an . . . "

TEDDY ROOSEVELT
"Teddy! Energetic, enthusiastic, determined, childlike--these are the words people used to describe Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States. When Roosevelt took office in 1901, some people were delighted. Others were disappointed. He always spoke his mind, and he always did what he thought was right. It was hard to predict just what he would say or do."

HOW AMERICA WORKS
"There are three different levels of government. The federal (national) government deals with matters that affect all people in the U.S., such as printing money and establishing post offices. Each state government takes care of matters that affect people in that state, such as issuing driving, hunting, and fishing licenses. Local government deals with matters that affect the local community, suc. . . "

BEN FRANKLIN
"Young Ben Franklin wanted to be a sailor and see the world beyond colonial Boston. Instead, he learned the printing trade and became the most famous American of his day-the best-known writer, scientist, and inventor in the New World. Europeans admired Franklin, too. "

COLONIAL AMERICA
"Picture yourself on the dock of Plymouth, England, a green and pretty port town. It's the year 1620. You are waving good-bye to your friends and relatives. Most likely, you'll never see them again. Like many Europeans of your day, you are boarding a ship for the New World. Your ship is called the Mayflower, and you will travel on it for two long months.Instead of sleeping on your soft bed, you sleep. . . "

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
“It’s hard to believe that just over a thousand words could change world history, but one document—only 1,337 words long—holds ideas more powerful than dynamite. This document’s ideas shook up the mighty British Empire. It launched a new nation. And it is still greatly admired today. What is this document? The Declaration of Independence, of course.”

PRESIDENCY
"The Constitution provides for a government of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch carries out the laws. The legislative branch (Congress) passes laws. The judicial branch (the courts) decides if the laws are being carried out fairly. The president is the head of the executive branch. But, as you will discover, the president is much more."

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

• Who Was Thomas Jefferson? (Who Was...?). By Dennis Brindell Fradin, Grosset & Dunlap, 2003.
• Thomas Jefferson (Great American Presidents). By Heather Lehr Wagner, Rebound by Sagebrush, 2003.
• Thomas Jefferson. By Cheryl Harness,National Geographic, 2004.
• Thomas Jefferson (Profiles of the Presidents). By Ann Heinrichs, Compass Point Books, 2002.

ADULT BOOKS

• Thomas Jefferson. By R. B. Bernstein, Oxford University Press, 2003.
• Inventing A Nation: Washington, Adams, Jefferson. By Gore Vidal, Yale University Press, 2003.
• Inventing America: Jefferson's Declaration of Indepedence. By Garry Wills, Mariner Books, 2002.
• Jefferson's War: America's First War on Terror 1801-1805. By Joseph Wheelan, Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2003.

WEBSITES

• White House: Biography of Thomas Jefferson: www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/tj3.html
• Monticello: www.monticello.org/
• PBS - Jefferson: www.pbs.org/jefferson/
• Library of Congress: The Thomas Jefferson Papers, 1606-1827: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

• The Thomas Jefferson Memorial (DC):
  www.nps.gov/thje
• Monticello (Charlottesville, VA):
  www.monticello.org