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1743-1826

Thomas Jefferson was born into a wealthy Virginian family in 1743. At the age of 14, his father died and he inherited 5,000 acres of land and dozens of slaves. He entered the College of William and Mary at age 16, which introduced him to the works of John Locke, Francis Bacon, and Sir Isaac Newton. In 1772, he married Martha Wayles Skelton. They had six children.

Jefferson is famously known as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Recognized as a capable writer, the Continental Congress chose Jefferson to write the first draft of the Declaration. The draft underwent alternation but remained largely his work.

Jefferson also served as a state legislator in the Virginia House of Delegates and as the Governor of Virginia from 1776-1781. During this time, he wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which the Virginia General Assembly enacted into law in 1786. From 1785-1789, he served as Minister to France and did not participate in the Constitutional Convention. Upon returning from France, George Washington selected Jefferson as Secretary of State.

Jefferson took a short break from office at the end of 1793. Soon, however, the Republican Party chose Jefferson as their candidate for President in the election of 1796. Jefferson lost the election to John Adams but gained enough electoral votes to become Vice President. In the election of 1800, Jefferson tied in electoral votes with Aaron Burr and the House of Representatives broke the tie in favor of Jefferson, making him the third President of the United States.

During his presidency, Jefferson acquired the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon and sponsored the Lewis and Clark Expedition. After his presidency, he founded the University of Virginia. He died on the fourth of July 1826.

Photo – Public Domain: Thomas Jefferson