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He was the third President of the United States (1801-1809), VicePresident under John Adams (1797-1801), Virginia Governor (1779-1781),American revolutionary leader, political philosopher, and author ofthe Declaration of Independence.

Thomas attended William and Mary College 1760-1762, read classics inGreek and Latin and played the violin. In 1769 he was elected to theHouse of Burgesses. In 1770 he began building Monticello, nearCharlottesville. He was named to the committee to draw up theDeclaration of Independence and wrote the basic draft. He was a memberof the Virginia House of Delegates 1776-79, elected Governor tosucceed Patrick Henry, 1779, re-elected 1780, resigned June 1781, amidcharges of ineffectual military preparation. During his term he wrotethe statute on religious freedom. In the Continental Congress he ,1783, he drew up the ordinance for the Northwest Territory, forbiddingslavery after 1800; it's term were put into the Ordinance of 1787. Hewas sent to Paris with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to negotiatecommercial treaties, 1784; made minister to France, 1785. Washingtonappointed him secretary of state, 1789. Jefferson's strong faith inthe consent of the governed, as opposed to executive control favoredby Hamilton, secretary of the treasury, often led to conflict; heresigned Dec 31 1793. He was the Democrat Republican candidate forpresident in 1796; beaten by John Adams, he became Vice President. In1800, Jefferson and Arron Burr received equal electoral college votesfor President. The House of Representatives elected Jefferson. Majorevents of his administration were the Louisiana purchase, 1803, andthe Lewis and Clark Expedition. He established the University ofVirginia which opened in 1825, one of three accomplishments that hememorialized in the epitaph on his tombstone. The other two were hisauthorship of the Declaration of Independence and of the Statute ofVirginia for Religious Freedom - the latter the most important of hisachievements as a Virginia legislator. He also designed theUniversity of Virginia's buildings. He died the same day as did JohnAdams, 4 July. 1826.