Thomas+Jefferson

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Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States and the main writer of The Declaration of Independence. As public official, historian, philosopher, and plantation owner, he served his country for over five decades. He voiced the aspirations of a new America as no other individual of his era.

Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 at the family home in Shadwell, Goochland County, Virginia. His father Peter Jefferson was a successful planter and surveyor and his mother Jane Randolph was a member of one of Virginia's most distinguished families. At around the age of 29 Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton. He lived happily with her for ten years until her death. Their marriage produced six children, but only two survived to adulthood.



Jefferson is also known for his kindness towards slaves. Jefferson inherited slaves from both his father and father-in-law. In a typical year, he owned about 200, almost half of them under the age of sixteen. Jefferson freed two slaves in his lifetime and five in his will and chose not to pursue two others who ran away. All were members of the Hemings family; the seven he eventually freed were skilled tradesmen.

=Important Dates, World and National Events During His Lifetime= ||
 * =President Thomas Jefferson Timeline=
 * 1743 || Born on April 13th in Virginia ||
 * 1760 || Enrolled at William and Mary College at Williamsburg at the age of 16 ||
 * 1762 || Graduated William and Mary College ||
 * 1769-1775 || Elected to the House of Burgesses ||
 * 1772 || (Jan 1) Marries Martha Wayles Skelton ||
 * 1772 || Daughter Martha Jefferson is born. ||
 * 1774 || Daughter Jane Jefferson is born. ||
 * 1775 || Daughter Jane Jefferson dies. ||
 * 1776 || Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence ||
 * 1777 || An infant son dies ||
 * 1778 || Daughter Mary Jefferson is born. ||
 * 1780 || Daughter Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson is born. ||
 * 1781 || Daughter Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson dies. ||
 * 1782 || Daughter Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson is born. ||
 * 1782 || Martha Jefferson dies ||
 * 1785 || Daughter Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson dies. ||
 * 1785 || Appointed as minister to France ||
 * 1789 || Became Secretary of State ||
 * 1796 || Elected Vice-President of the United States ||
 * 1801 || Elected President if the United States ||
 * 1801 || Tripoli declared war on America ||
 * 1802 || West Point Military Academy is established ||
 * 1803 || John Dalton shared atomic theory of matter ||
 * 1803 || Ohio became a state ||
 * 1803 || The U.S. purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for $15,000,000 ||
 * 1804 || The 12th Amendment to the constitution is adopted which states the President and Vice President will be elected separately ||
 * 1804 || Napoleon appointed himself as the French Emperor ||
 * 1804 || John Pickering became the first federal judge to be impeached ||
 * 1804 || June 4th Tripoli and America signed a peace treaty ||
 * 1804 || The steam locomotive is invented by Richard Trevithick ||
 * 1805 || Lewis and Clark reached the pacific coast ||
 * 1807 || Arron Burr,Jefferson's Vice President, was tried and acquitted for treason ||
 * 1808 || Congress prohibited the importation of African slaves to the United States ||
 * 1809 || U.S. population is 7,040,000 ||
 * 1819 || Founded the University of Virginia ||
 * 1826 || Died July 4th at his home Monticello in Virginia ||

Jefferson is also know for the Louisiana Purchase shown on the map below:

For more on Thomas Jefferson visit: [|Thomas Jefferson Biography], [|Liberty Kids Thomas Jefferson Link], [|Video]