BackStory

[Click here for Pt. 2.]

From FDR to Sarah Palin, leaders on both sides of the political aisle have long claimed Thomas Jefferson as their own.  So what did Jefferson really stand for? That’s the question at the root of this special podcast, produced in conjunction with HISTORY.com.

In Part One, the History Guys take on the perennial debate over the appropriate role of central government. Did Jefferson think it should be pared-down and limited, or robust enough to confront external threats if and when they arise?

In Part Two,  the History Guys look at Jefferson’s idea of a “wall of separation” between church and state.  How did the personal beliefs of Jefferson and his contemporaries influence the framing of the Constitution itself?

PART ONE

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PART TWO

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