(1743-1826)

THIRD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Thomas Jefferson is best known as the author of the Declaration of Independence and as the third President of the United States. He was also a musician, an architect, a diplomat, a scientist and an inventor. He also was the founder of the University of Virginia. He was a person who favored public schools and the most knowledgeable patron of learning and the arts of his generation. Although he lived to be 83 years old, he was always learning something new, always trying to contribute to the human progress. As a person, Jefferson will always be fascinating because he did so many different things so well. In his range of interests perhaps, no other great American except for Benjamin Franklin ever matched him.

Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 in Albermarle County, Virginia, then on the edge of western settlement. He was a member of a favored class by birth and training. His father, Colonel Peter Jefferson, was a large landowner and a noted explorer. He left Thomas with a considerable estate and excellent opportunities for education. His mother was Jane Randolph and belonged to one of the leading families.

He was educated privately in his early years. He studied Greek and Latin before going to college at William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia at the age of 17. At this school, he learned French, Italian, and Spanish. His interests were science and mathematics. In the colonial capital of Williamburg, he saw the operation in government.

Jefferson was not good looking. He was tall and rather awkward, sandy-haired, and had some freckles. He was strong in body and a great horseman, and he made and kept many friends.

For five years, he studied law under George Wythe, the most noted law teacher in Virginia. This prepared him for his profession. At the age of 24 he was admitted to the bar and he rode the circuit as a lawyer until the American Revolution closed the courts. Like other lawyers, he had trouble collecting his fees, and was chiefly supported by the income from his farms. His lands were doubled by the inheritance of his wife, Martha Wayles Sketon. He married her in 1772. Martha's estate was burdened with a heavy debt from which he never escaped.

He owned about 4,0 hectares of land and 100 to 200 slaves. Much of this land was forested. He was always opposed to slavery but his proposals for its abolition in Virginia failed. He was notably a king master.

Thomas built his house on a little mountain. He later extensively remodeled this house and named it Monticello - meaning "Little Mountain." He was his own architect and builder.

At the age of 25 he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses and served there until the Revolution. He was a member of the group that most strongly upheld colonial rights against the British Government. It was afterward said that he was the pen of the American Revolution, as George Washington was the sword.

After the severe British measures against Massachusetts and the Boston Tea Party in 1773, the issue was between freedom and tyranny. There was no doubt where Jefferson stood. Thomas's entire career was dedicated to protecting and extending the liberties of the American colonists. He was known to be an ardent patriot when he became a member of the Continental Congress in 1775. He was then chosen to write the Declaration of Independence because of his "masterly pen" and because he was a representative of the largest colony.

As a member of the legislature, he set out to reform the laws of Virginia. He hoped to replace the artificial aristocracy of birth and wealth to which he himself belonged, with a natural aristocracy of talent and virtue. He did this by opposing laws restricting liberty.

Jefferson set highest value on his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, which was passed in 1786, seven years after he introduced it. This called for the complete separation of church and state and for the freedom of people to think as they liked.

Thomas Jefferson was elected governor at the age of 36 in 1779. He became the governor of Virginia succeeding Patrick Henry. His two terms as war governor were troubled. He had little power under the existing state constitution.

Jefferson left Monticello because his wife died in 1782 leaving him lonely and desolate. He sent his two youngest children to live with an aunt but he kept his oldest daughter, Martha, with him. Yielding to the wishes of friends, he accepted election to the Continental Congress in 1783.

He recommended the adoption of the dollar and the decimal system of money. This saved Americans from the confusion of English pounds, shillings, and pence. The report on the government of the western territory was especially important. This anticipated the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Throughout his career, Jefferson recognized the rights of the settlers in the West and tried to promote their interests. He was always popular there.

Among the five years Jefferson was in Paris, they were the most interesting years of his life. A polite and friendly man, Jefferson was a skillful diplomat as well as a close observer. He disliked the monarchy of France and formed a low opinion of the Kings of Europe. While Jefferson was in France, he saw the start of the French Revolution in 1789. This occurred his last years in Paris. He feared that it would get out of hand as it did later. He approved of this revolt against the tyranny of a king, and he was disturbed when other European Kings tried to put it down.

Jefferson returned home with his two daughters in 1789. Rather reluctantly he accepted the invitation of President George Washington to become the first Secretary of State under the new Constitution. In the spring of 1790, he took office and served as Secretary of State to the end of 1793. During this time occurred his historic conflict with Alexander Hamilton, the young and brilliant Secretary of Treasury.

What Jefferson sought was full of independence for the United States. As President, later he followed the same policy as Washington. This was then called isolation and lasted more than a century until world conditions changed.

Thomas objected to some of Hamilton's policies as favoring merchants and financiers rather than farmers. He believed in human liberty more than Hamilton and trusted the people more. He favored the strict interpretation of the constitution. Hamilton did more than any other man of his day to make the national government strong. Jefferson did more than anybody else to make it democratic and to leave men as free as possible.

In the elections for President of 1796, a successor to George Washington had to be chosen. The Republicans chose Thomas Jefferson and John Adams was supported by the Federalist Party. At this time, Thomas was in retirement at Monticello, directing his farms and rebuilding his house. At his home he made, he invented an improved plow and made his own nails.

By majority of three electoral votes, John Adams was chosen for President. Thomas Jefferson then became Vice President of the United States.

Adams finally broke with the extremists in his own party and made peace with France. He was defeated in the 1800 election. Jefferson then was tied with Aaron Burr, who was really the Republican candidate for Vice-President. The House of Representatives elected Jefferson. The majority showed the wishes of the people that the people must prevail.

At the age of 58, Jefferson became President. He served two terms, winning re-election by a huge majority. He was the first President to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. This became the seat of government during the last year of the Adams administration. During his Presidency, he reduced taxes, abolished office that he thought unnecessary, and tried to leave everybody as free as possible. Jefferson was also the first President to be the leader of a political party. He led this party so well that the Federalists never elected another President.

Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803. This doubled the size of the United States. This action aroused alarm in the minds of many Easterners. The New Englanders feared that their small states would become unimportant. This delighted most Americans.

Jefferson lived for 17 years after he left office. He went back to Monticello and was surrounded by his grandchildren, whom he adored. He rode his horse every day until the end of his life but he spent most his time writing letters. Most of these letters were to John Adams. They discussed books, religion, government, and everything else. In his last years he was in financial difficulty. This was because of the old debt he never could get rid of. He spent more than he made as president and because he got small returns as president and because he endorsed a large bank note for a friend who could not meet it. At his death, he was practically bankrupt.

Jefferson's last great public service was the founding of the University of Virginia in 1819. It was the only accomplishment he valued as much as his authorship of the Declaration of Independence and Virginia Act for Religious Freedom.

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day, July 04, 1826. This was the 50^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Two centuries after his birth, a memorial to Jefferson was dedicated to Washington, D.C.