Thomas Jefferson Birth: April 13, 1743 – Died: July 4,1826 (same day as John Adams) -Thomas Jefferson - Monticello-Thomas Jefferson's home

His Early Life ● Jefferson was born at Shadwell in what is now Albemarle County, Virginia, on April 13, ● Jefferson attended ( ) the College of William and Mary. ● Studied law with George Wythe. ● In 1769 he began six years of service as a representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses. ● The following year he began building Monticello on land inherited from his father. The mansion, which he designed in every detail, took years to complete. ● He married Martha Wayles Skelton on Jan. 1, 1772 and they had six children, two of whom survived into adulthood.

● Jefferson's reputation began to reach beyond Virginia in 1774, when he wrote a political pamphlet, A Summary View of the Rights of British America. Arguing on the basis of natural rights theory, Jefferson claimed that colonial allegiance to the king was voluntary. "The God who gave us life," he wrote, "gave us liberty at the same time: the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them."

Declaration of Independence ● Elected to the Second Continental Congress, ● Jefferson was appointed on June 11, 1776, to head a committee of five in preparing the Declaration of Independence. He was its primary author, although his initial draft was amended after consultation with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams and altered both stylistically and substantively by Congress. ● Based upon the same natural rights theory contained in A Summary View, to which it bears a strong resemblance. ● The Declaration of Independence made Jefferson internationally famous. ● Years later that fame evoked the jealousy of John Adams, who complained that the declaration's ideas were overused. Jefferson agreed; he wrote of the declaration, "Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind."

Revolutionary Leader ● Returning to Virginia late in 1776, Jefferson served until 1779 in the House of Delegates, one of the two houses of the General Assembly of Virginia--established in 1776 by the state's new constitution. ● While the American Revolution continued, Jefferson sought to liberalize Virginia's laws. Joined by his old law teacher, George Wythe, and by James Madison and George Mason, Jefferson introduced a number of bills that were resisted fiercely by those representing the conservative planter class. ● Jefferson was also instrumental in devising a major revision of the criminal code, although it was not enacted until ● His bill to create a free system of tax-supported elementary education for all except slaves was defeated as were his bills to create a public library and to modernize the curriculum of the College of William and Mary.

● In June 1779 the introduction of Jefferson's bill on religious liberty touched off a quarrel that caused turmoil in Virginia for 8 years. The bill was significant as no other state--indeed, no other nation--provided for complete religious liberty at that time. Jefferson's bill stated "that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions on matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities." Many Virginians regarded the bill as an attack upon Christianity. It did not pass until 1786.

The 1780's Minister to France ● 1784 to 1789 ● Succeeded Ben Franklin as minister. ● He was in Paris to make commercial treaties. Secretary of State ● 1789 to1793 ● Congress confirmed him as secretary of state in the first administration of George Washington. ● Hamilton(federalist) and Jefferson(anti- federalist) had many political differences.

President ● Federalist leaders remained opposed to Jefferson, but the people approved his policies. ● Internal taxes were reduced; the military budget was cut; and plans were made to extinguish the public debt. ● The Louisiana Purchase (1803) capped his achievements. Ironically, Jefferson had to overcome constitutional scruples in order to take over the vast new territory without authorization by constitutional amendment. In this instance it was his Federalist critics who became the constitutional purists. Nonetheless, the purchase was received with popular enthusiasm. In the election of 1804, Jefferson swept every state except two--Connecticut and Delaware. ● Two years later the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which the president had dispatched to explore the Louisiana Territory, returned triumphantly after crossing the continent.

Conclusion Thomas Jefferson wished to be remembered for three achievements in his public life. He had served as governor of Virginia, as U.S. minister to France, as secretary of state under George Washington, as vice-president in the administration of John Adams, and as president of the United States from 1801 to On his tombstone, however, which he designed and for which he wrote the inscription, there is no mention of these offices. Rather, it reads that Thomas Jefferson was "author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia" and, as he requested, "not a word more." Historians might want to add other accomplishments--for example, his distinction as an architect, naturalist, and linguist--but Historians agree with his own assessment.