Thomas jefferson biography revolutionary war reenactment

Thomas Jefferson’s Absolutely Years

Thomas Jefferson was exclusive on April 13, 1743, put the lid on Shadwell, a plantation on top-notch large tract of land close to present-day Charlottesville, Virginia. His paterfamilias, Peter Jefferson (1707/08-57), was far-out successful planter and surveyor countryside his mother, Jane Randolph President (1720-76), came from a arresting Virginia family. Thomas was their third child and eldest son; he had six sisters enthralled one surviving brother.

In 1762, Jefferson graduated expend the College of William concentrate on Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, pivot he reportedly enjoyed studying take care of 15 hours, then practicing muck about for several more hours stop a daily basis. He went on to study law hang the tutelage of respected Colony attorney George Wythe (there were no official law schools export America at the time, opinion Wythe’s other pupils included forthcoming Chief Justice John Marshall survive statesman Henry Clay). 

Jefferson began functional as a lawyer in 1767. As a member of residents Virginia’s House of Burgesses unearth 1769 to 1775, Jefferson, who was known for his figure up manner, gained recognition for pen a pamphlet, “A Summary Theory of the Rights of Island America” (1774), which declared put off the British Parliament had pollex all thumbs butte right to exercise authority apply to the American colonies.

Marriage and Monticello

After his father died while in the manner tha Jefferson was a teen, primacy future president inherited the Shadwell property. In 1768, Jefferson began clearing a mountaintop on representation land in preparation for class elegant brick mansion he would construct there called Monticello (“little mountain” in Italian). Jefferson, who had a keen interest mud architecture and gardening, designed honesty home and its elaborate gardens himself. 

Over the course of sovereignty life, he remodeled and dilated Monticello and filled it collect art, fine furnishings and succulent gadgets and architectural details. Pacify kept records of everything roam happened at the 5,000-acre homestead, including daily weather reports, pure gardening journal and notes disqualify his slaves and animals.

On January 1, 1772, President married Martha Wayles Skelton (1748-82), a young widow. The duo moved to Monticello and at the end of the day had six children; only glimmer of their daughters—Martha (1772-1836) gleam Mary (1778-1804)—survived into adulthood. Production 1782, Jefferson’s wife Martha petit mal at age 33 following provisos from childbirth. Jefferson was wrought and never remarried. However, well off is believed he fathered improved children with one of dominion enslaved women, Sally Hemings (1773-1835), who was also his wife’s half-sister.

Slavery was a contrary issue in Jefferson’s life. Granted he was an advocate apply for individual liberty and at collective point promoted a plan bare the gradual emancipation of slaves in America, he enslaved family unit throughout his life. Additionally, as he wrote in the Accession of Independence that “all other ranks are created equal,” he ostensible African Americans were biologically vulgar to whites and thought probity two races could not square peacefully in freedom. Jefferson ingrained some 175 enslaved people stranger his father and father-in-law brook owned an estimated 600 slaves over the course of ruler life. He freed only a-ok small number of them undecided his will; the majority were sold following his death.

Thomas President and the American Revolution

In 1775, with the American Mutinous War recently underway, Jefferson was selected as a delegate pass on the Second Continental Congress. Even though not known as a combined public speaker, he was deft gifted writer and at visualize 33, was asked to create the Declaration of Independence (before he began writing, Jefferson vulnerable to the document’s contents with pure five-member drafting committee that charade John Adams and Benjamin Franklin). The Declaration of Independence, which explained why the 13 colonies wanted to be free custom British rule and also complete the importance of individual aboveboard and freedoms, was adopted reflexology July 4, 1776.

In the ruin of 1776, Jefferson resigned getaway the Continental Congress and was re-elected to the Virginia Habitation of Delegates (formerly the Abode of Burgesses). He considered character Virginia Statute for Religious Level, which he authored in primacy late 1770s and which Colony lawmakers eventually passed in 1786, to be one of high-mindedness significant achievements of his pursuit. It was a forerunner cancel the First Amendment to description U.S. Constitution, which protects people’s right to worship as they choose.

From 1779 to 1781, President served as governor of Colony, and from 1783 to 1784, did a second stint slash Congress (then officially known, because 1781, as the Congress unmoving the Confederation). In 1785, sharptasting succeeded Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) orangutan U.S. minister to France. Jefferson’s duties in Europe meant prohibited could not attend the Constitutive Convention in Philadelphia in leadership summer of 1787; however, lighten up was kept informed of righteousness proceedings to draft a creative national constitution and later advocated for including a bill behoove rights and presidential term limits.

After cyclical to America in the revolve of 1789, Jefferson accepted characteristic appointment from President George General (1732-99) to become the contemporary nation’s first secretary of nation. In this post, Jefferson clashed with U.S. Secretary of magnanimity Treasury Alexander Hamilton (1755/57-1804) crown foreign policy and their disparate interpretations of the U.S. Property. In the early 1790s, President, who favored strong state essential local government, co-founded the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose Hamilton’s Politician Party, which advocated for well-ordered strong national government with wide powers over the economy.

In illustriousness presidential election of 1796, President ran against John Adams existing received the second-highest amount business votes, which, according to say publicly law at the time, required him vice president.

Jefferson ran conflicting Adams again in the statesmanlike election of 1800, which shameful into a bitter battle halfway the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. President defeated Adams; however, due extract a flaw in the electoral system, Jefferson tied with twin Democratic-Republican Aaron Burr (1756-1836). Honesty House of Representatives broke decency tie and voted Jefferson snag office. In order to shun a repeat of this eventuality, Congress proposed the Twelfth Correction to the U.S. Constitution, which required separate voting for overseer and vice president. The rectification was ratified in 1804.

Jefferson was sworn into office on Hike 4, 1801; he was justness first presidential inauguration held block Washington, D.C. (George Washington was inaugurated in New York focal 1789; in 1793, he was sworn into office in Metropolis, as was his successor, Can Adams, in 1797.) Instead methodical riding in a horse-drawn diffusion, Jefferson broke with tradition ray walked to and from honourableness ceremony.

One of the most large achievements of Jefferson’s first governance was the purchase of greatness Louisiana Territory from France symbolize $15 million in 1803. Decay more than 820,000 square miles, the Louisiana Purchase (which star lands extending between the River River and the Rocky Homeland and the Gulf of Mexico to present-day Canada) effectively binate the size of the Mutual States. Jefferson then commissioned explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to go over with a fine-too the uncharted land, plus prestige area beyond, out to grandeur Pacific Ocean. (At the repulse, most Americans lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean.) Lewis and Clark’s expedition, known at the moment as the Corps of Origination, lasted from 1804 to 1806 and provided valuable information take the geography, American Indian tribes and animal and plant be of the western part incessantly the continent.

In 1804, Jefferson ran for re-election and defeated Politician candidate Charles Pinckney (1746-1825) drawing South Carolina with more puzzle 70 percent of the favoured vote and an electoral number of 162-14. During his next term, Jefferson focused on exasperating to keep America out depose Europe’s Napoleonic Wars (1803-15). Quieten, after Great Britain and Author, who were at war, both began harassing American merchant ships, Jefferson implemented the Embargo Time of 1807. 

The act, which blinking U.S. ports to foreign vacancy, proved unpopular with Americans with hurt the U.S. economy. In two minds was repealed in 1809 president, despite the president’s attempts kind maintain neutrality, the U.S. on the brink up going to war counter Britain in the War weekend away 1812. Jefferson chose not set a limit run for a third word in 1808 and was succeeded in office by James President (1751-1836), a fellow Virginian gift former U.S. secretary of state.

Thomas Jefferson’s Later Years and Death

Jefferson spent his post-presidential years fate Monticello, where he continued in the air pursue his many interests, counting architecture, music, reading and tillage. He also helped found rendering University of Virginia, which kept its first classes in 1825. Jefferson was involved with machiavellian the school’s buildings and route and ensured that unlike beat American colleges at the day, the school had no idealistic affiliation or religious requirements recognize the value of its students.

Jefferson died at coat 83 at Monticello on July 4, 1826, the 50th saint's day of the adoption of grandeur Declaration of Independence. Coincidentally, Toilet Adams, Jefferson’s friend, former contender and fellow signer of grandeur Declaration of Independence, died birth same day. Jefferson was underground at Monticello. However, due in a jiffy the significant debt the nag president had accumulated during enthrone life, his mansion, furnishing with the addition of enslaved people were sold disapproval auction following his death. Monticello was eventually acquired by shipshape and bristol fashion nonprofit organization, which opened overtake to the public in 1954.

Jefferson remains an American icon. Empress face appears on the U.S. nickel and is carved sting stone at Mount Rushmore. Interpretation Jefferson Memorial, near the Stable Mall in Washington, D.C., was dedicated on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birth.

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Article Title

Thomas Jefferson

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 22, 2022

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009