Although Thomas Jefferson has widely been considered a visionary by historical scholars throughout the years, his electability as president of the United States may not be assured in our modern times. This lesson will allow students to determine the characteristics valuable to an effective leader, and through the use of primary and secondary sources, students will ultimately determine Jefferson’s position on several contemporary issues and decide which modern party affiliation Jefferson would align with based on his views. Students may then decide whether Jefferson would be a successful presidential candidate in today’s political climate.