Thomas Jefferson, Virginia

Part II – Biography – Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was born April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia, and died July 4th, 1826, in Charlottesville, Virginia[i]. He was the third president of the United States, wrote the Declaration of Independence, and founded the University of Virginia, among other achievements. He was reputed to have studied up to fifteen hours a day[ii].

Jefferson's ancestors emigrated from Wales and were influential early settlers of Virginia[iii]. Jefferson was highly educated as a lawyer, which got him elected in the House of Burgesses as a representative for the legislature[iv]. He helped establish the Corresponding Committees, which were the impetus for the creation of a general Congress[v]. The general Congress created the Continental Congress, comprised of the First Continental Congress and Second Continental Congress; Jefferson was a delegate as he was directly involved in the creation of the Congress and even “prepared a code of instructions to the delegates”, titled “A Summary View of the Rights of British America”[vi].

Jefferson was chosen by the Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but he was not the sole author of the text. The Declaration of Independence is a universally venerated text, although in modern times it has endured more criticism than ever.

Jefferson served as the third president of the United States, from 1801-1809, and in his later years he founded the University of Virginia, a school of higher learning separated from religion[vii]. He considered writing the Declaration of Independence, the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and founding the University of Virginia as his three greatest accomplishments, according to the epitaph he wrote for himself[viii].

Dave Millett

[i] Wikipedia contributors, "Thomas Jefferson," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Jefferson&oldid=164575682 (accessed October 18, 2007).
[ii] B. L. Rayner, “Life of Thomas Jefferson,” , Oct2001.
[iii] B. L. Rayner, “Life of Thomas Jefferson,” , Oct2001.
[iv] B. L. Rayner, “Life of Thomas Jefferson,” , Oct2001.
[v] B. L. Rayner, “Life of Thomas Jefferson,” , Oct2001.
[vi] B. L. Rayner, “Life of Thomas Jefferson,” , Oct2001.
[vii] Wikipedia contributors, "Thomas Jefferson," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Jefferson&oldid=164575682 (accessed October 18, 2007).
[viii] Wikipedia contributors, "Thomas Jefferson," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Jefferson&oldid=164575682 (accessed October 18, 2007).