General News: Thomas Jefferson: A Lively Discussion
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| Thomas Jefferson: The third president of the United States. |
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| Christine McDonald and the couple's two children at the Independence Day celebration. |
October 18, 2010
How did one of our nation’s founders abandon his fear of standing armies to take the step of establishing the U.S. Military Academy at West Point?
Thomas Jefferson, a political philosopher, is certainly one of the more complex individuals to serve as President of the United States. In addition to being a statesman, he was a horticulturalist, inventor, musician, architect, archeologist and founder of the University of Virginia.
On Tuesday evening, two local scholars, Robert and Christine McDonald, will share their vast knowledge of Jefferson in a presentation sponsored by the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum at the Cornwall Presbyterian Church at 7:30 pm.
The McDonalds are inspired by history and were drawn to each other when they met while both working at Jefferson’s famed home, Monticello. Robert went on to become associate professor of history at West Point while his wife, Christine, is the history coordinator at the Tuxedo Park School. She is a former research associate at Monticello’s Center for Jefferson Studies.
The McDonalds, who appeared at the 2010 4th of July Pet Parade with their young children dressed in colonial costumes, promise a spirited discussion of Jefferson and how, as President, politics, westward expansion and nation-building may have led him to agree to the founding of West Point.
This program is funded, in part, by the New York Council for the Humanities. For more information call 845-534-5506, ext. 204.
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