At the age of 77, I begin to make some memoranda, and state some recollections of dates and facts concerning myself, for my own more ready reference, and for the information of my family.

In his memoir, begun in 1821 and published posthumously, Thomas Jefferson recalls the early years of his formidable political rise, including his election to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. He reflects on the French Revolution and his relationships with such notable contemporaries as Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and other Founding Fathers.

But Jefferson's primary focus is on that which he considered his greatest patriotic achievement: the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. His personal observations on its creation, its debates, and its impact remain as an invaluable record to the American revolutionary era.

Revised edition: Previously published as The Memoir of Thomas Jefferson, this edition of The Memoir of Thomas Jefferson (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.