The Merry Affair

Diplomatic protocol. These days it’s all written down and governed by rules and long-standing conventions. But in 1801, when he became President, Jefferson wondered whether the new Republican system of government didn't call for a new more democratic model of diplomatic behavior. Monticello's Gaye Wilson -- with help from Monticello guide Dianne Pierce and Monticello Teacher Institute participant Kristi Robinson -- relates how Jefferson once tested the limits of protocol and describes some of the straining effects it had on diplomatic relations at home and abroad.