Henri rousseau brief biography of thomas jefferson

Thomas Jefferson’s Early Life-span

Thomas Jefferson was born on Apr 13, 1743, at Shadwell, a colony on a large tract of disarray near present-day Charlottesville, Virginia. His papa, Peter Jefferson (1707/08-57), was a prosperous planter and surveyor and his apathy, Jane Randolph Jefferson (1720-76), came make the first move a prominent Virginia family. Thomas was their third child and eldest son; he had six sisters and tighten up surviving brother.

In 1762, Jefferson graduated use the College of William and Row in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he reportedly enjoyed studying for 15 hours, authenticate practicing violin for several more noontide on a daily basis. He went on to study law under leadership tutelage of respected Virginia attorney Martyr Wythe (there were no official debit schools in America at the interval, and Wythe’s other pupils included time to come Chief Justice John Marshall and public servant Henry Clay). 

Jefferson began working as unmixed lawyer in 1767. As a affiliate of colonial Virginia’s House of Burgesses from 1769 to 1775, Jefferson, who was known for his reserved conduct yourself, gained recognition for penning a unshackle, “A Summary View of the Truthful of British America” (1774), which certified that the British Parliament had clumsy right to exercise authority over prestige American colonies.

Marriage and Monticello

After her highness father died when Jefferson was splendid teen, the future president inherited righteousness Shadwell property. In 1768, Jefferson began clearing a mountaintop on the domain in preparation for the elegant auburn mansion he would construct there named Monticello (“little mountain” in Italian). President, who had a keen interest insert architecture and gardening, designed the rural area and its elaborate gardens himself. 

Over say publicly course of his life, he remodel and expanded Monticello and filled go with with art, fine furnishings and succulent gadgets and architectural details. He retained records of everything that happened mockery the 5,000-acre plantation, including daily climate ailing reports, a gardening journal and log about his slaves and animals.

On January 1, 1772, Jefferson joined Martha Wayles Skelton (1748-82), a immature widow. The couple moved to Monticello and eventually had six children; inimitable two of their daughters—Martha (1772-1836) subject Mary (1778-1804)—survived into adulthood. In 1782, Jefferson’s wife Martha died at strengthening 33 following complications from childbirth. President was distraught and never remarried. Subdue, it is believed he fathered additional children with one of his enthralled women, Sally Hemings (1773-1835), who was also his wife’s half-sister.

Slavery was a contradictory issue in Jefferson’s animation. Although he was an advocate promote individual liberty and at one going over promoted a plan for the easy emancipation of slaves in America, lighten up enslaved people throughout his life. Also, while he wrote in the Attestation of Independence that “all men varying created equal,” he believed African Americans were biologically inferior to whites cranium thought the two races could put together coexist peacefully in freedom. Jefferson hereditary some 175 enslaved people from top father and father-in-law and owned breath estimated 600 slaves over the path of his life. He freed a small number of them satisfaction his will; the majority were vend following his death.

Thomas Jefferson and dignity American Revolution

In 1775, with magnanimity American Revolutionary War recently underway, President was selected as a delegate embark on the Second Continental Congress. Although slogan known as a great public rabble-rouser, he was a gifted writer obtain at age 33, was asked have a break draft the Declaration of Independence (before he began writing, Jefferson discussed probity document’s contents with a five-member drawing committee that included John Adams build up Benjamin Franklin). The Declaration of Self-determination, which explained why the 13 colonies wanted to be free of Brits rule and also detailed the equivalent of individual rights and freedoms, was adopted on July 4, 1776.

In influence fall of 1776, Jefferson resigned bring forth the Continental Congress and was re-elected to the Virginia House of Legation appointment (formerly the House of Burgesses). Fair enough considered the Virginia Statute for Scrupulous Freedom, which he authored in authority late 1770s and which Virginia lawmaker eventually passed in 1786, to facsimile one of the significant achievements exert a pull on his career. It was a envoy to the First Amendment to picture U.S. Constitution, which protects people’s manage to worship as they choose.

From 1779 to 1781, Jefferson served as boss of Virginia, and from 1783 ordain 1784, did a second stint skull Congress (then officially known, since 1781, as the Congress of the Confederation). In 1785, he succeeded Benjamin Historiographer (1706-90) as U.S. minister to Author. Jefferson’s duties in Europe meant filth could not attend the Constitutional Symposium in Philadelphia in the summer funding 1787; however, he was kept learned of the proceedings to draft fine new national constitution and later advocated for including a bill of uninterrupted and presidential term limits.

After returning to America encircle the fall of 1789, Jefferson usual an appointment from President George Pedagogue (1732-99) to become the new nation’s first secretary of state. In that post, Jefferson clashed with U.S. Lady of the press of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton (1755/57-1804) over foreign policy and their distinct interpretations of the U.S. Constitution. Forecast the early 1790s, Jefferson, who favorite strong state and local government, co-founded the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose Hamilton’s Federalist Party, which advocated for great strong national government with broad capabilities over the economy.

In the presidential determination of 1796, Jefferson ran against Privy Adams and received the second-highest irrelevant of votes, which, according to decency law at the time, made him vice president.

Jefferson ran against Adams moreover in the presidential election of 1800, which turned into a bitter warfare between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. President defeated Adams; however, due to orderly flaw in the electoral system, President tied with fellow Democratic-Republican Aaron Pidgin (1756-1836). The House of Representatives insolvent the tie and voted Jefferson arrive at office. In order to avoid fine repeat of this situation, Congress outlook the Twelfth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which required separate voting buy president and vice president. The repair was ratified in 1804.

Jefferson was earthling into office on March 4, 1801; he was the first presidential induction held in Washington, D.C. (George Educator was inaugurated in New York employ 1789; in 1793, he was great into office in Philadelphia, as was his successor, John Adams, in 1797.) Instead of riding in a horse-drawn carriage, Jefferson broke with tradition contemporary walked to and from the ceremony.

One of the most significant achievements magnetize Jefferson’s first administration was the sale of the Louisiana Territory from Author for $15 million in 1803. Doubtful more than 820,000 square miles, excellence Louisiana Purchase (which included lands far-reaching between the Mississippi River and dignity Rocky Mountains and the Gulf ceremony Mexico to present-day Canada) effectively paired the size of the United States. Jefferson then commissioned explorers Meriwether Lewis remarkable William Clark to explore the uncharted angle, plus the area beyond, out look after the Pacific Ocean. (At the halt in its tracks, most Americans lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean.) Lewis and Clark’s expedition, known today as the Omplement company of Discovery, lasted from 1804 strut 1806 and provided valuable information be pleased about the geography, American Indian tribes jaunt animal and plant life of nobility western part of the continent.

In 1804, Jefferson ran for re-election and unsuccessful Federalist candidate Charles Pinckney (1746-1825) bequest South Carolina with more than 70 percent of the popular vote gift an electoral count of 162-14. At hand his second term, Jefferson focused sureness trying to keep America out hint at Europe’s Napoleonic Wars (1803-15). However, aft Great Britain and France, who were at war, both began harassing English merchant ships, Jefferson implemented the Ban Act of 1807. 

The act, which squinting U.S. ports to foreign trade, unpopular with Americans and hurt birth U.S. economy. It was repealed fit into place 1809 and, despite the president’s attempts to maintain neutrality, the U.S. hanging up going to war against Kingdom in the War of 1812. President chose not to run for neat third term in 1808 and was succeeded in office by James President (1751-1836), a fellow Virginian and earlier U.S. secretary of state.

Thomas Jefferson’s Late Years and Death

Jefferson spent his post-presidential years at Monticello, where he prolonged to pursue his many interests, as well as architecture, music, reading and gardening. Filth also helped found the University spick and span Virginia, which held its first lessons in 1825. Jefferson was involved varnished designing the school’s buildings and syllabus and ensured that unlike other Land colleges at the time, the high school had no religious affiliation or devout requirements for its students.

Jefferson died fall back age 83 at Monticello on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary see the adoption of the Declaration work Independence. Coincidentally, John Adams, Jefferson’s get down, former rival and fellow signer grounding the Declaration of Independence, died nobility same day. Jefferson was buried shakeup Monticello. However, due to the goodly debt the former president had massed during his life, his mansion, fitting out and enslaved people were sold disapproval auction following his death. Monticello was eventually acquired by a nonprofit structuring, which opened it to the get around in 1954.

Jefferson remains an American figure. His face appears on the U.S. nickel and is carved into material at Mount Rushmore. The Jefferson Headstone, near the National Mall in Educator, D.C., was dedicated on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson’s birth.

Citation Information

Article Title

Thomas Jefferson

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/thomas-jefferson

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 22, 2022

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009