American Moose - Revision history

Bcraig at 19:54, 4 December 2009

Bcraig — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:54:25 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 19:54, 4 December 2009
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	with an apology from Jefferson for the amount of hair missing from		with an apology from Jefferson for the amount of hair missing from
	the moose along with a disclaimer that he had seen deer that must have weighed five or six times more than those represented by the		the moose along with a disclaimer that he had seen deer that must have weighed five or six times more than those represented by the
-	enclosed antlers.	+	enclosed [[Moose Antlers\|antlers]].

	Though Buffon was away due to ill health when the box arrived, he		Though Buffon was away due to ill health when the box arrived, he

Bcraig at 18:50, 8 October 2008

Bcraig — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:50:50 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 18:50, 8 October 2008
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	While serving as U.S. minister to France, [[Thomas Jefferson]] wrote to		While serving as U.S. minister to France, [[Thomas Jefferson]] wrote to
	John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send		John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send
-	to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the '''Moose''',<ref>This article is based on Gaye Wilson, [http://www.monticello.org/press/newsletter/2002/mse.pdf "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose"], ''Monticello Newsletter'', 13(Spring 2002).</ref> the	+	to [[Paris]] “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the '''Moose''',<ref>This article is based on Gaye Wilson, [http://www.monticello.org/press/newsletter/2002/mse.pdf "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose"], ''Monticello Newsletter'', 13(Spring 2002).</ref> the
	Caribou, or Elk … but most especially those of the moose.”		Caribou, or Elk … but most especially those of the moose.”
	Jefferson specified how he would prefer the animal dressed: “To		Jefferson specified how he would prefer the animal dressed: “To
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	positive image that would encourage immigration and commerce.		positive image that would encourage immigration and commerce.

-	More than a year after Jefferson’s request, a box arrived in Paris	+	More than a year after Jefferson’s request, a box arrived in [[Paris]]
	containing skin, bones, and horns. Sullivan, a Revolutionary War		containing skin, bones, and horns. Sullivan, a Revolutionary War
	general who was elected governor of New Hampshire in 1786, wrote		general who was elected governor of New Hampshire in 1786, wrote

Jackie: Moose moved to American Moose: The title was rather vague...

Jackie — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:10:31 GMT

Moose moved to American Moose: The title was rather vague...

←Older revision

Revision as of 18:10, 22 July 2007

Bcraig at 20:31, 13 June 2007

Bcraig — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:31:06 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 20:31, 13 June 2007
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	While serving as U.S. minister to France, [[Thomas Jefferson]] wrote to		While serving as U.S. minister to France, [[Thomas Jefferson]] wrote to
	John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send		John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send
-	to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the '''Moose''', the	+	to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the '''Moose''',<ref>This article is based on Gaye Wilson, [http://www.monticello.org/press/newsletter/2002/mse.pdf "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose"], ''Monticello Newsletter'', 13(Spring 2002).</ref> the
	Caribou, or Elk … but most especially those of the moose.”		Caribou, or Elk … but most especially those of the moose.”
	Jefferson specified how he would prefer the animal dressed: “To		Jefferson specified how he would prefer the animal dressed: “To
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	European counterparts.		European counterparts.

-	--Original Article, [http://www.monticello.org/press/newsletter/2002/mse.pdf "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose"], by Gaye Wilson, ''Monticello Newsletter'', 13(Spring 2002).	+	==Footnotes==
		+	<references/>

	[[Category:Science and Exploration]]		[[Category:Science and Exploration]]

Eric: tweaked link in citation

Eric — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:09:34 GMT

tweaked link in citation

←Older revision		Revision as of 15:09, 13 June 2007
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	European counterparts.		European counterparts.

-	--Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, [http://www.monticello.org/press/newsletter/2002/mse.pdf Monticello Newsletter], 13(Spring 2002).	+	--Original Article, [http://www.monticello.org/press/newsletter/2002/mse.pdf "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose"], by Gaye Wilson, ''Monticello Newsletter'', 13(Spring 2002).

	[[Category:Science and Exploration]]		[[Category:Science and Exploration]]

Bcraig at 13:27, 13 June 2007

Bcraig — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 13:27:26 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 13:27, 13 June 2007
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-	While serving as U.S. minister to France, Thomas Jefferson wrote to	+	While serving as U.S. minister to France, [[Thomas Jefferson]] wrote to
	John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send		John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send
	to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the '''Moose''', the		to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the '''Moose''', the

Bcraig at 20:35, 11 June 2007

Bcraig — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:35:54 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 20:35, 11 June 2007
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	European counterparts.		European counterparts.

-	--Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, Monticello Newsletter, 13(Spring 2002).	+	--Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, [http://www.monticello.org/press/newsletter/2002/mse.pdf Monticello Newsletter], 13(Spring 2002).

	[[Category:Science and Exploration]]		[[Category:Science and Exploration]]

Bcraig at 20:35, 11 June 2007

Bcraig — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:35:02 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 20:35, 11 June 2007
Line 1:		Line 1:
	While serving as U.S. minister to France, Thomas Jefferson wrote to		While serving as U.S. minister to France, Thomas Jefferson wrote to
	John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send		John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send
-	to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the Moose, the	+	to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the '''Moose''', the
	Caribou, or Elk … but most especially those of the moose.”		Caribou, or Elk … but most especially those of the moose.”
	Jefferson specified how he would prefer the animal dressed: “To		Jefferson specified how he would prefer the animal dressed: “To
Line 89:		Line 89:
	European counterparts.		European counterparts.

-	''Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, Monticello Newsletter, Volumn 13, Number 1; Spring 2002''	+	--Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, Monticello Newsletter, 13(Spring 2002).

	[[Category:Science and Exploration]]		[[Category:Science and Exploration]]

Jackie at 20:10, 11 June 2007

Jackie — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:10:08 GMT

←Older revision		Revision as of 20:10, 11 June 2007
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	''Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, Monticello Newsletter, Volumn 13, Number 1; Spring 2002''		''Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, Monticello Newsletter, Volumn 13, Number 1; Spring 2002''

-	[[Category:ScienceandExploration]]	+	[[Category:Science and Exploration]]

Jackie: New page: While serving as U.S. minister to France, Thomas Jefferson wrote to John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of ...

Jackie — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:09:54 GMT

New page: While serving as U.S. minister to France, Thomas Jefferson wrote to John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of ...

New page

While serving as U.S. minister to France, Thomas Jefferson wrote to
John Sullivan of New Hampshire on Jan. 7, 1786, asking him to send
to Paris “the skin, the skeleton, and the horns of the Moose, the
Caribou, or Elk … but most especially those of the moose.”
Jefferson specified how he would prefer the animal dressed: “To
leave the hoof on, to leave the bones of the legs and of
the thighs if possible in the skin, and to leave also the
bones of the head in the skin with the horns on, so
that by sewing up the neck and belly of the skin we
should have the true form and size of the animal.”
Such an acquisition, Jefferson wrote, would be “more
precious than you can imagine.”

Such a request may seem a curious one from an
American diplomat
charged primarily with
negotiating commercial
treaties, but there is more to link
diplomacy, commerce, and natural
science than might first appear.

Since the mid 18th century,
European naturalists had proposed
that animals, vegetation and even
humankind degenerated on the
American continent due to the
climate. In his one full-length book,
''Notes on the State of Virginia'', Jefferson
confronted the theories of the leading
French naturalist, George Louis
Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, who
contended that the animals of
America were smaller in size and
number. In refuting Buffon, Jefferson
compiled charts comparing the sizes
of animals of both continents, and of
the moose noted, “I have seen a skeleton 7 feet high, and from
good information believe
they are often considerably
higher. The Elk of Europe is
not two-thirds of his height.”
In addition, Jefferson
believed the American
moose to be a distinct species.

No doubt there was an
element of personal pride, as a man of science, in refuting these
misconceptions, but as an American minister charged with promoting
the growth and commerce of his young country, Jefferson seemed
intent on not just letting these allegations prove themselves wrong over
time. The growth and prosperity of the new nation depended upon a
positive image that would encourage immigration and commerce.

More than a year after Jefferson’s request, a box arrived in Paris
containing skin, bones, and horns. Sullivan, a Revolutionary War
general who was elected governor of New Hampshire in 1786, wrote
that processing the animal as Jefferson requested had been “difficult,”
but that he had succeeded, except for leaving in the bones of the head.
However, the skin of the head was “whole and well dresst,” and even
though the horns did not belong to this particular moose, perhaps
“they may be fixed on.”

Jefferson seemed pleased enough when he reported back to Sullivan:
“They were all in good enough condition except that a good deal of
the hair of the Moose had fallen off. However there remained still
enough to give a good idea of the animal, and I am in hopes Monsieur
de Buffon will be able to have him stuffed and placed on his legs in
the king’s cabinet.”

Jefferson was disappointed that the horns of the elk and deer, also
included, appeared “remarkeably small.” Nevertheless, the remains of
the moose and the other horns were delivered to the Jardin du Roi, the
natural history center where the Comte de Buffon was superintendent,
with an apology from Jefferson for the amount of hair missing from
the moose along with a disclaimer that he had seen deer that must have weighed five or six times more than those represented by the
enclosed antlers.

Though Buffon was away due to ill health when the box arrived, he
charged an assistant to send a note of thanks for this contribution to
natural science. It is not certain whether the moose was ever displayed
as Jefferson had hoped. Many years later, he remarked to Daniel
Webster that Buffon “promised in his next volume, to set these things
right also: but he died directly afterwards.”

Nevertheless, Jefferson as diplomat, scientist, and citizen went to
unusual lengths and personal expense to dispel unfavorable myths
about his country by attempting to prove once and for all that the
American moose was indeed unique and definitely bigger than its
European counterparts.

''Original Article, "Jefferson, Buffon, and the Mighty American Moose", by Gaye Wilson, Monticello Newsletter, Volumn 13, Number 1; Spring 2002''

[[Category:ScienceandExploration]]