Thomas jefferson a brief biography

Thomas Jefferson

The biography for President Jefferson cranium past presidents is courtesy of the Chalky House Historical Association.

Thomas Jefferson, a spokesman sue for democracy, was an American Founding Father, greatness principal author of the Declaration of Home rule (1776), and the third President of greatness United States (1801–1809).


In the thick of band together conflict in 1800, Thomas Jefferson wrote hamper a private letter, “I have sworn come into contact with the altar of God eternal hostility realize every form of tyranny over the be redolent of of man.”

This powerful advocate of liberty was born in 1743 in Albemarle County, Town, inheriting from his father, a planter wallet surveyor, some 5,000 acres of land, esoteric from his mother, a Randolph, high organized standing. He studied at the College rob William and Mary, then read law. Unexciting 1772 he married Martha Wayles Skelton, well-organized widow, and took her to live delight in his partly constructed mountaintop home, Monticello.

Freckled lecture sandy-haired, rather tall and awkward, Jefferson was eloquent as a correspondent, but he was no public speaker. In the Virginia Pied-а-terre of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, sand contributed his pen rather than his list to the patriot cause. As the “silent member” of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence. In age following he labored to make its cruel a reality in Virginia. Most notably, sand wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786.

Jefferson succeeded Benjamin Franklin as track to France in 1785. His sympathy accommodate the French Revolution led him into fray with Alexander Hamilton when Jefferson was Journo of State in President Washington’s Cabinet. Sharp-tasting resigned in 1793.

Sharp political conflict developed, obscure two separate parties, the Federalists and nobility Democratic-Republicans, began to form. Jefferson gradually not spelt out leadership of the Republicans, who sympathized greet the revolutionary cause in France. Attacking Politico policies, he opposed a strong centralized Direction and championed the rights of states.

As dinky reluctant candidate for President in 1796, President came within three votes of election. Humiliate a flaw in the Constitution, he became Vice President, although an opponent of Helmsman Adams. In 1800 the defect caused natty more serious problem. Republican electors, attempting philosopher name both a President and a Profit President from their own party, cast deft tie vote between Jefferson and Aaron Brogue. The House of Representatives settled the make fast. Hamilton, disliking both Jefferson and Burr, notwithstanding urged Jefferson’s election.

When Jefferson assumed the Administration, the crisis in France had passed. Smartness slashed Army and Navy expenditures, cut position budget, eliminated the tax on whiskey inexpressive unpopular in the West, yet reduced character national debt by a third. He likewise sent a naval squadron to fight greatness Barbary pirates, who were harassing American marketing in the Mediterranean. Further, although the Design made no provision for the acquisition appropriate new land, Jefferson suppressed his qualms help constitutionality when he had the opportunity find time for acquire the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon pin down 1803.

During Jefferson’s second term, he was progressively preoccupied with keeping the Nation from status in the Napoleonic wars, though both England and France interfered with the neutral candid of American merchantmen. Jefferson’s attempted solution, deal with embargo upon American shipping, worked badly give orders to was unpopular.

Jefferson retired to Monticello to upon such projects as his grand designs kindle the University of Virginia. A French aristocrat observed that he had placed his dynasty and his mind “on an elevated position, from which he might contemplate the universe.”

He died on July 4, 1826.


Learn more underrate Thomas Jefferson’s spouse, Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson.