Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence, was born in 1743. Jefferson was born in the South into one of Virginia’s most prominent families. Always an avid learner, Jefferson was determined to receive a top-notch education. He attended William and Mary, a college in Williamsburg, Virginia, and went on to study law.

Jefferson would later become involved in politics. He felt strongly that the American colonies should seek independence from Great Britain. His beliefs and eloquence with words would help lead him to his most significant written work: the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson was actually part of a five-person committee, but the other men chose Jefferson to actually write the first draft. Jefferson’s work was a document that would eloquently explain the importance of freedom and equality. The Declaration of Independence also listed the reasons the colonies wanted to be free.

In 1803, while president, Jefferson purchased land that tremendously increased the size of the United States. This purchase, known as the Louisiana Purchase, vastly increased the new country’s size.

Jefferson’s death was a sad time for the nation. He died in his home, Monticello, on July 4, 1826. Ironically, this date was also the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.