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Philip L. Carret Thomas Jefferson Essay Competition

This is a guide to the Philip L. Carret Thomas Jefferson Essay Competition. The essay competition was endowed in 1997 and was designed to have students reflect on the principles and ideals in Thomas Jefferson's life and career.

2000 Carret Essay Prompt

The Enlightenment was among the important influences on the founding generation of Americans. Thomas Jefferson, as part of that generation and an important political leader for over thirty years, felt that influence. Write an essay exploring the extent to which Jefferson embodied Enlightenment values, attitudes, and practices, and how this embodiment affected later generations.

2000 Essay Winners

Name Award Title
Stephanie Newbold First Place "The Influential Legacy of Thomas Jefferson"
Daniel Callaway Second Place "Thomas Jefferson: Minister of Enlightenment"
Angela Petrini Third Place "The Enlightenment of Thomas Jefferson"