A short biography of Thomas Jefferson

What do you think of when someone mentions the name Thomas Jefferson? Do you think of him as one of the Founding Father’s? Or maybe the third president of the United States? Possibly the man behind the Louisiana purchase? Or how about the commissioner of the Lewis & Clark Corp of Discovery expedition? Actually he was all these things and much more.

Born on 13 April 1743, Thomas Jefferson was the eldest son of Peter and Jan Randolph Jefferson. From his father he suddenly inherited 5,000 acres of land at age 14, gaining the responsibilities of the family at the same time. From his mother he gain social standing in Virginia society. Thomas persued his education at William and Mary College graduating in 1762. He then studied law under George Wythe under he passed his exams in 1767.

While Thomas did not seek public office neither did he refuse it when it was offered to him. This started in 1770 when he was appointed justice of the peace. This position led to his elections to the House of Burgess and meeting his future wife, Martha Wayles Skelton. They married in 1772. Although Thomas Jefferson was elected to attend both Continental Congresses due to health issues he only attened the second where he helped to write the Declaration of Independence.

After returning home from the Continential Congress Jefferson continued to serve the people as a member of the House of Delegates from late 1776 until his election as governor of Virginia in 1779. During this time he authored many bills that changed the lives of the people including the first religious freedom bill. While Thomas Jefferson wrote the bill in 1779 it wasn’t passed until 1786 because of its, then, contriversal nature.

As a wartime governor Thomas Jefferson was intermental in moving the capital from Williamsbury to Richmond. Since he was not reelected in 1781 he headed home to Monticello and his family. This enabled Thomas to be by Martha’s side when she died on 6 September 1782 promising her he would NOT remarry. This promise forced him to rely heavily on his family in raising his young daughters. This was especially true when he was called back into service for the new young government as a Commisioner to negotiate commerical treaties before he replaced Benjamin Franklin as Minister to France.

Because Jefferson lived in France at the beginning of the French revolution he got a first hand look at what the people were doing, and appreciated it. However the excessiveness of the movement became more than he desired and completely turned him off. Thomas Jefferson became deeply disappointed when France turned toward an open imperialistic period under Napoleon. Meanwhile back in the young United States a contitution was written and ratifed by the states leaving Jefferson fearful of the possibilities since there were no safe guards for personal liberties nor, at that time, no term limits for the office of President.

When he came home from France Jefferson was immediately pressed into service as the Secretary of State in President Washington’s new cabinet. Even though both he and Alexander Hamilton were the only Democratic-Republicans in the cabinet, they were costantly at odds with each other. Finally he could take no more and resigned his post at the end of 1793 and headed back to Montecello.

In 1796 George Washington refused to run for a third term as President, Thomas Jefferson’s name was suggested as a candidate for the office. Losing by three votes he became the Vice-President under John Adams. Due to the widely differing views they each held it turned out to be a difficult and contentious four years.

In 1800 the votes his own running mate, Aaron Burr, received for President sent the election to the House of Representatives where, after several tie votes, Thomas Jefferson finally won. He was the first President to be inaugurated in Washington City. During his first term in office Jefferson created the Military Academy at West Point in 1802; purchased the Louisiana Territory; cut taxes; reduced the military budget, let the Alien and Sedition Acts lapse; and planned to pay off the public debt. Through his vision, and the explores he sent, the land west of the Mississippi was mapped and the flora and fauna were catalogued.

When Jefferson ran for a second term his running mate was Governor George Clinton of New York. Because of the war between France and England he decided to put an embargo on commerce to both countries which made his second term contenious and miserable. He gladly retired back to Montecello to work on other life long dreams and goals when the term ended.

Thomas Jefferson felt one of his greatest achievements was the University of Virginia which he designed and built. It opened it’s doors in 1819 with his stamp firmly on it both in the contruction and the course of instruction. At the same time Jefferson made peace with John Adams restarting and continued a long correspondance with him until the day of the mutual death on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1826.

Thomas Jefferson wrote his own epitaph making sure the things that were important to him were listed. Nowhere in the list is President of the United States instead he listed himself as the author of the Declaration of Independence, the writer of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and the father of the University of Virginia. These were what mattered to this founding father of our country. These are things that still impact us today.