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Throughout his life, Thomas Jefferson argued that knowledge was power. Many, however, have faced challenges in receiving an education in this country since its founding. For the holiday season, this podcast episode focuses on a few stories about individuals who strove to access and share with others the gift of education.

For the holiday season, Monticello guide Kyle Chattleton dispels a myth involving Benjamin Franklin and dives into the more complicated history surrounding it.

Monticello guide Holly Haliniewski shares the story of one of America’s most famous rivalries. Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson played instrumental roles in the creation of America, and had completely different visions for the future of the country. But while a lot of recent attention has been paid to their disagreements, an object found at Monticello today might point to a deeper level of respect between the two.

In 1995, Alan Alda was the featured speaker at a special dinner on Monticello's West Lawn. Fresh from a filming trip to China for PBS's Scientific American Frontiers, the award-winning actor related his efforts to look for "clues into [Jefferson's] character" and made connections between efforts by a Chinese scientist to produce a high-yield strain of rice and Jefferson's commitment to the sciences and freedom of thought. (Added to Monticello Podcasts on Jan. 28, 2010. Approx. 22 min. )

In the wake of the release of U.S. diplomatic cables on Wikileaks, Eric Johnson, Monticello's New Media Specialist, talks with Jean Bauer, creator of "The Early American Foreign Service Database," about what is was like for Jefferson and his successors to communicate with America's ambassadors and consuls abroad. (Added to Monticello Podcasts on Dec. 2, 2010. Approx. 25 min.)

Contemporary visitor accounts of Thomas Jefferson and Monticello offer interesting insights on the former president in his retirement years. Ellen Hickman, assistant editor at the Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series, outlines a project underway to gather and publish visitor accounts, shares some amusing anecdotes from the collection, and discusses how studying visitor descriptions alters our understanding of Jefferson. (Added to Monticello Podcasts Nov. 18, 2009. Approx. 44 min. )

Writer and historian Andrea Wulf talks about her recent book, The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession, that traces the origin of the English country garden through the collaborative effort between two men and two countries: American farmer, John Bartram, and London cloth merchant, Peter Collinson. (Added to Monticello Podcasts on Aug 6, 2009. Approx. 44 min. )

Rick Britton, author of Jefferson: A Monticello Sampler and part-time Monticello interpreter, details Jefferson's involvment in the identification of Megalonyx jeffersonii, a extinct ground sloth whose bones were discovered in a cave in Virginia.

Nancy Carter Crump, a culinary historian and author of Hearthside Cooking: Early American Southern Cuisine, dispels the myth that overcooking vegetables was originally part of early southern cooking and highlights some surprising uses of herbs and spices of the early Nineteenth Century.

Nancy Carter Crump, a culinary historian and author of Hearthside Cooking: Early American Southern Cuisine, will parallel developments in Colonial Southern foodways with those of our social and political culture. She will share some of the methods, accepted beliefs, and misconceptions of the time and also talk about the influence of our early Native American, European and enslaved communities. .

A sample from a new CD that attempts to recreate some specific examples of music at Monticello. Violinist David Sariti discusses Jefferson's ability with the violin and introduces Vivaldi's Violin Sonata, Opus 2, No. 3 before performing its first two movements, the Andante and Corrente (Allegro). In addition to Sariti, the artists include: Theresa Goble (Mezzo-Soprano), Andrew Mullen (Bass-Baritone), and Bradley Lehman (Harpsichord).

Author Andrew Smith gives a quick primer on the history of the 'American' turkey as well as a quick review of the validity of story of the First Thanksgiving.

A look at the role religion played in the presidential election of 1800, which pitted Thomas Jefferson against John Adams.

A discussion of the role Virginia's religious dissenters played in the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

UVA professor Larry Sabato talks about his book that offers 23 changes to the U.S. Constitution.

Thomas Jefferson's letter to John Adams of November 13, 1787, containing some his thoughts on the newly drafted U.S. Constitution.

Thomas Jefferson's letter to James Madison of December 20, 1787, containing some his thoughts on the newly drafted U.S. Constitution.