Summary
Thomas Jefferson Third President of the United States; The main draftsman of the Declaration of Independence purchased Louisiana in 1803 and sent the Lewis and Clark expedition to search for it (1743–1826).
Overview
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, [OS April 2] 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American founding father who was the lead author of the Declaration of Independence and later served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Was. He presented constructive documents and decisions at both the state and national levels.
Jefferson was of predominantly English ancestry, born and educated in colonial Virginia. He graduated from the College of William & Mary and briefly practiced law with the largest number of his cases relating to land ownership claims.
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Thomas Jefferson Early life and career
As president, Jefferson pursued the nation’s shipping and trade interests against Barbary pirates and aggressive British trade policies. He also organized the Louisiana Purchase, which nearly doubled the area of the country. As a result of peace talks with France, his administration reduced military forces. Jefferson’s second term was fraught with difficulties at home, including the trial of former vice president Aaron Burr.
He was an architect in the classical tradition. Jefferson’s keen interest in religion and philosophy led to the presidency of the American Philosophical Society. A linguist, Jefferson knew many languages. He was a prolific letter writer and matched many prominent people. After retiring from public office, Jefferson founded the University of Virginia.
Nevertheless, presidential scholars and historians generally praise his public achievements, including his advocacy of religious freedom and tolerance in Virginia. Jefferson continues to rank highly among US presidents.
Thomas Jefferson Education, early family life
Jefferson began his education beside the Randolph children with tutors at Tuckahoe.Thomas’ father, Peter, was self-taught and, regretting not having a formal education, he entered Thomas into an English school early, at age five. In 1752, at age nine, he began attending a local school run by a Scottish Presbyterian minister and also began studying the natural world, which he grew to love. At this time he began studying Latin, Greek, and French, while also learning to ride horses. Thomas also read books from his father’s modest library.
Virginia state legislator and governor
He introduced legislation in 1769 allowing masters to take control over the emancipation of slaves, taking discretion away from the royal governor and General Court. He persuaded his cousin Richard Bland to spearhead the legislation’s passage, but reaction was strongly negative.
Jefferson took seven cases for freedom-seeking slavesand waived his fee for one client, who claimed that he should be freed before the statutory age of thirty-one required for emancipation in cases with inter-racial grandparents.He invoked the Natural Law to argue, “everyone comes into the world with a right to his own person and using it at his own will … This is what is called personal liberty, and is given him by the author of nature, because it is necessary for his own sustenance.” The judge cut him off and ruled against his client. As a consolation, Jefferson gave his client some money, conceivably used to aid his escape shortly thereafter.