Jefferson's First
Inaugural Address
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
Manuscript draft of first inaugural
address,
1801
Manuscript Division
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Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated as the third president of the
United States on March 4, 1801, after being elected in one of the
nation's closest presidential contests. In this, his first inaugural
address, Jefferson sought to reach out to his political opponents
and heal the breach between Federalists and Republicans. Strongly
criticized as a deist or even an atheist, Jefferson strongly stated
his belief in the importance of religion in the address. He closes
the speech listing the "freedom of religion" prominently among the
constitutional freedoms.
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