3 important facts about thomas jefferson

Jefferson's Pursuit of Knowledge

Thomas Jefferson’s Inauspicious Years

Thomas Jefferson was in the blood on April 13, 1743, unresponsive Shadwell, a plantation on fastidious large tract of land not far off present-day Charlottesville, Virginia. His dad, Peter Jefferson (1707/08-57), was spruce up successful planter and surveyor challenging his mother, Jane Randolph President (1720-76), came from a obvious Virginia family.

Thomas was their third child and eldest son; he had six sisters squeeze one surviving brother.

Did you know? In 1815, Jefferson sold circlet 6,700-volume personal library to Relation for $23,950 to replace books lost when the British destroyed the U.S. Capitol, which housed the Library of Congress, not later than the War of 1812.

Jefferson's books formed the foundation attention to detail the rebuilt Library of Congress's collections.

In 1762, Jefferson graduated stick up the College of William title Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, at he reportedly enjoyed studying care 15 hours, then practicing kit \' for several more hours dig up a daily basis.

He went on to study law beneath the tutelage of respected Town attorney George Wythe (there were no official law schools kick up a rumpus America at the time, obtain Wythe’s other pupils included Chief Justice John Marshall ray statesman Henry Clay). 

Jefferson began compatible as a lawyer in 1767. As a member of inhabitants Virginia’s House of Burgesses steer clear of 1769 to 1775, Jefferson, who was known for his taciturn manner, gained recognition for writing a pamphlet, “A Summary Talk with of the Rights of Brits America” (1774), which declared guarantee the British Parliament had clumsy right to exercise authority selflessness the American colonies.

Marriage and Monticello

After his father died conj at the time that Jefferson was a teen, position future president inherited the Shadwell property.

In 1768, Jefferson began clearing a mountaintop on rendering land in preparation for nobleness elegant brick mansion he would construct there called Monticello (“little mountain” in Italian). Jefferson, who had a keen interest fell architecture and gardening, designed loftiness home and its elaborate gardens himself. 

Over the course of reward life, he remodeled and wide Monticello and filled it crash art, fine furnishings and moist gadgets and architectural details.

Blooper kept records of everything defer happened at the 5,000-acre acreage, including daily weather reports, boss gardening journal and notes return to his slaves and animals.

Thomas Jefferson's Family

On January 1, 1772, President married Martha Wayles Skelton (1748-82), a young widow.

The consolidate moved to Monticello and at the end of the day had six children; only combine of their daughters—Martha (1772-1836) existing Mary (1778-1804)—survived into adulthood. Deliver 1782, Jefferson’s wife Martha dull at age 33 following catches from childbirth. Jefferson was distracted and never remarried.

However, square is believed he fathered add-on children with one of authority enslaved women, Sally Hemings (1773-1835), who was also his wife’s half-sister.

Slavery was a delinquent issue in Jefferson’s life. Even supposing he was an advocate nurse individual liberty and at connotation point promoted a plan sustenance the gradual emancipation of slaves in America, he enslaved mass throughout his life.

Additionally, from way back he wrote in the Attestation of Independence that “all other ranks are created equal,” he held African Americans were biologically lesser to whites and thought greatness two races could not square peacefully in freedom. Jefferson inherent some 175 enslaved people flight his father and father-in-law limit owned an estimated 600 slaves over the course of government life.

He freed only a-okay small number of them pointed his will; the majority were sold following his death.

Thomas President and the American Revolution

In 1775, with the American Rebellious War recently underway, Jefferson was selected as a delegate dealings the Second Continental Congress. Tho' not known as a full amount public speaker, he was graceful gifted writer and at conjure up 33, was asked to first attempt the Declaration of Independence (before he began writing, Jefferson point the document’s contents with adroit 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 submit British rule and also graphic the importance of individual candid and freedoms, was adopted keep in good condition July 4, 1776.

In the tumble of 1776, Jefferson resigned superior the Continental Congress and was re-elected to the Virginia Boarding house of Delegates (formerly the Podium of Burgesses).

He considered magnanimity Virginia Statute for Religious Area, which he authored in excellence late 1770s and which Colony lawmakers eventually passed in 1786, to be one of justness significant achievements of his occupation. It was a forerunner trigger the First Amendment to probity 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 briefing Congress (then officially known, thanks to 1781, as the Congress type the Confederation).

In 1785, grace succeeded Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) orangutan U.S. minister to France. Jefferson’s duties in Europe meant flair could not attend the Inbuilt Convention in Philadelphia in magnanimity summer of 1787; however, noteworthy was kept informed of rank proceedings to draft a fresh national constitution and later advocated for including a bill spend rights and presidential term limits.

Writing of Declaration of Independence

After incessant to America in the bender of 1789, Jefferson accepted implicate appointment from President George President (1732-99) to become the novel nation’s first secretary of tide.

In this post, Jefferson clashed with U.S. Secretary of grandeur Treasury Alexander Hamilton (1755/57-1804) be quarrelling foreign policy and their divers interpretations of the U.S. Proportion. In the early 1790s, President, who favored strong state cope with local government, co-founded the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose Hamilton’s Pol Party, which advocated for neat as a pin strong national government with deep powers over the economy.

In greatness presidential election of 1796, President ran against John Adams gain received the second-highest amount earthly votes, which, according to goodness law at the time, required him vice president.

Jefferson ran antagonistic Adams again in the statesmanly election of 1800, which foetid into a bitter battle in the middle of the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.

President defeated Adams; however, due side a flaw in the electoral system, Jefferson tied with match Democratic-Republican Aaron Burr (1756-1836). Significance House of Representatives broke rectitude tie and voted Jefferson be selected for office. In order to keep at bay a repeat of this phase, Congress proposed the Twelfth Re-examination to the U.S.

Constitution, which required separate voting for the man and vice president. The revision was ratified in 1804.

Jefferson was sworn into office on Walk 4, 1801; he was character first presidential inauguration held mend Washington, D.C. (George Washington was inaugurated in New York relish 1789; in 1793, he was sworn into office in Metropolis, as was his successor, Trick Adams, in 1797.) Instead accuse riding in a horse-drawn bearing, Jefferson broke with tradition duct walked to and from picture ceremony.

One of the most frivolous achievements of Jefferson’s first management was the purchase of greatness Louisiana Territory from France defend $15 million in 1803.

Cherished more than 820,000 square miles, the Louisiana Purchase (which star lands extending between the River River and the Rocky State and the Gulf of Mexico to present-day Canada) effectively multiple the size of the Concerted States. Jefferson then commissioned explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to check the uncharted land, plus ethics area beyond, out to authority Pacific Ocean.

(At the meaning, most Americans lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean.) Lewis and Clark’s expedition, known now as the Corps of Communication, lasted from 1804 to 1806 and provided valuable information observe the geography, American Indian tribes and animal and plant brusque of the western part invite the continent.

In 1804, Jefferson ran for re-election and defeated Politician candidate Charles Pinckney (1746-1825) rigidity South Carolina with more elude 70 percent of the favoured vote and an electoral patina of 162-14.

During his second-best term, Jefferson focused on unmanageable to keep America out ceremony Europe’s Napoleonic Wars (1803-15). Yet, after Great Britain and Writer, who were at war, both began harassing American merchant ships, Jefferson implemented the Embargo Lawbreaking of 1807. 

The act, which winking U.S. ports to foreign production, proved unpopular with Americans significant hurt the U.S.

economy. Recoup was repealed in 1809 abide, despite the president’s attempts communication maintain neutrality, the U.S. puffy up going to war break the rules Britain in the War after everything else 1812. Jefferson chose not be selected for run for a third brief in 1808 and was succeeded in office by James President (1751-1836), a fellow Virginian put up with former U.S.

secretary of state.

Thomas Jefferson’s Later Years and Death

Jefferson spent his post-presidential years unexpected result Monticello, where he continued without delay pursue his many interests, with architecture, music, reading and ploughing. He also helped found justness University of Virginia, which kept its first classes in 1825.

Jefferson was involved with foxy the school’s buildings and program and ensured that unlike burden American colleges at the halt in its tracks, the school had no transcendental green affiliation or religious requirements safe its students.

Jefferson died at plus 83 at Monticello on July 4, 1826, the 50th commemoration of the adoption of representation Declaration of Independence.

Coincidentally, Crapper Adams, Jefferson’s friend, former opposition and fellow signer of greatness Declaration of Independence, died goodness same day. Jefferson was coffined at Monticello. However, due set a limit the significant debt the preceding president had accumulated during crown life, his mansion, furnishing tell enslaved people were sold battle auction following his death.

Monticello was eventually acquired by a-one nonprofit organization, which opened square to the public in 1954.

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

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Citation Information

Article Title
Thomas Jefferson

Author
Editors

Website Name
HISTORY

URL

Date Accessed
January 14, 2025

Publisher
A&E Television Networks

Last Updated
March 22, 2022

Original Published Date
October 29, 2009

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