#1701 Thomas Jefferson in France

Listening to America

Society & Culture, History

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 27 April 2026

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Frequent guest host David Horton interviews the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, about his five years in France between 1784 and 1789. After the death of his wife in 1782, Jefferson permitted his closest friend, James Madison, to propose that he be sent to Europe to negotiate commercial treaties. When Jefferson assimilated his diplomatic post, Dr. Benjamin Franklin finally retired and returned to the United States. At that point, Jefferson became the American Minister to the Court of Louis XVI, which he called a school in humility after the legendary Franklin ceased to grace the French court. Jefferson worked hard to open markets to American products, especially tobacco. Before he returned to the United States in 1789 to become the first Secretary of State, Jefferson witnessed the beginnings of the French Revolution, which he defended for the rest of his life, including the excesses of what is called the Reign of Terror. This episode was recorded on February 25, 2026.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This week on listening to America with Clay Jenkinson, Thomas Jefferson in France.
0:09.5	Frequent guest host David Horton interviews the third president of the United States Thomas
0:14.1	Jefferson about his five years in France between 1784 and 1789.
0:19.9	After the death of his wife Martha in 1782, Jefferson permitted his closest friend and confidante
0:26.4	James Madison to propose that he be sent to Europe to negotiate commercial treaties.
0:31.7	After Jefferson had been fully assimilated into his diplomatic post, Dr. Benjamin Franklin
0:36.4	was finally permitted to retire and return to the
0:38.9	United States after decades in Europe. At that point, Jefferson became the American minister to the
0:44.8	Court of Louis XVIth, a job which he called a school of humility after the legendary Franklin
0:51.1	ceased to grace the French court. All of that and more on this week's
0:55.8	Listening to America.
1:01.3	Good day, friends, and welcome to Listening to America with Clay Jenkinson. I'm David Horton,
1:07.1	coming to you from Radford, Virginia, nestled in the beautiful New River Valley.
1:11.6	Welcome to another edition of Listening to America.
1:14.5	Today, we are honored to be joined by the third president of the United States, the principal
1:19.6	author of the Declaration of Independence, the Minister to France during one of the most
1:23.9	turbulent periods in modern history.
1:26.8	Mr. Thomas Jefferson, Mr. President, welcome to listening to America in modern history, Mr. Thomas Jefferson.
1:28.1	Mr. President, welcome to listening to America.
1:30.8	Good day to you, citizen.
1:32.8	It is always a pleasure to sit down and to have an opportunity to talk with you about things
1:37.9	that occurred during your time, how they reflect during the time that we're in today.
	...

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