Thomas Jefferson
He was born on April 13 1743 and he died on July 4 1826 at the age of 83.
He was born in Virginia and lived there throughout his lifetime. He was the third of ten children. When he was nine he began studying several foreign languages (Latin, Greek and French). When his father died, Jefferson was 14, and he inherited a large tract of land and numerous slaves. His home eventually became known as Monticello. He continued his education until he graduated with a degree in classical education, which included History and Science. He was a very learned man and was often seen reading or writing continuously throughout his life. He graduated from the College of William and mary in 1762 and became a lawyer in 1767.
He was married to Martha Jefferson. They had six children, who all died before Jefferson.
During his life he was a planter/farmer, lawyer, and statesman. In 1768 he began planning and having his mansion, Monticello, built. He owned many slaves and never saw a reason to free them. He died a poor man because of investments that had been made before his death. When he died his property was sold but it eventually was restored to its present grandness.
He began is public career in the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was a leader of the Democrat-Republican party. Throughout his life he had the belief that the colonist had the right to govern themselves.
Jefferson served in the Second Continental Congress. In June 1776 Jefferson became a member of a five man committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. Although a member of this committee, Jefferson was probably the main writer of the document due to his previous writings.
After the writing of the Declaration Jefferson returned to Monticello and continued working in the Virginia Legislature. He was governor of Virginia from 1779 – 1781. He served as Minister to France from the new nation from 1785 – 1789.
After returning from France he was chosen to be the Secretary of State under Washington. In 1796 he was elected to be Vice president under John Adams. He was the third president of the United States in 1801 - 1809.
Jefferson, in 1803, doubled the size of the United States when he bought Louisiana from France.
He was an inventor and the founder of the University of Virginia. The grand architecture of this university is due to Jefferson’s continued interest in this topic.
Jefferson supported the separation of church and state and was a believer of states rights over that of the federal government. He believed in an agrarian society, which meant that he felt that farming and the importance of values found in the state, and towns were the most important.
Jefferson died on the same day as John Adams, fifty years after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
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