THOMAS JEFFERSON

BIRTH

• Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell Virginia, April 13, 1743.
• He represents the state of Virginia,

JEFFERSON'S EDUCATION

EARLY STUDIES

• Received childhood education through tutors.
• Attended local school in 1752 run by a Scottish Presbyterian minister.
• At age 9, Jefferson studied Latin, Greek, and French.
• 1758-1760 Jefferson studied under reverend James Maury.
• Under Reverend Maury he studied history, science, and the classics.

COLLEGE

• At age 16, Jefferson entered the college of William & Mary in Williamsburg.
• There he met George Wythe who became his influential mentor.
• Jefferson studied mathematics, metaphysics, and a philosophy.
• He read law while working as a law clerk for Wythe,
• He graduated in 1762, finishing his studies in two years.

RELIGION

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• Jefferson changed his mind about religion quite a few times in his life.
• His beliefs were a combination of religion concepts.
• Jefferson was inclined towards deism and the moral philosophy of Christianity.
• He mostly adapted a stern code of moral conduct and found inspiration from classic literature.
• Later in life he attended the Episcopal church and raised his daughters in that faith.

THE SLAVERY ISSUE

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• Jefferson opposed slavery in his speeches and writing, but he never took action to emancipate them.
• He owned hundreds of slaves, but only freed a fraction of them in his lifetime and in his will.
• There was controversy surrounding him having a relationship with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings.
• DNA tests show that Jefferson fathered one or more of Heming's children.

MILITARY

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• Colonel of county militia, Virginia
• Other than that he had very little military experience.

POLITICAL CAREER/PHILOSOPHY

POLITICAL CAREER

• Served as a delegate to the 2nd C.C. In June 1775.
• Was appointed to the five-man-committee to write a declaration in support of the revolution.
• The committee decided Jefferson would write the first draft of the declaration,
• After independence, he was elected to the the Virginia house of delegates.
• In 1779 Jefferson was elected governor of Virginia. He was re-elected in 1780.

POLITICAL CAREER

• Jefferson was appointed to minister France in 1785.
• In 1789, Washington asked Jefferson to accept a seat in his cabinet as Secretary of State.
• Jefferson accepted and didn't resign until 1793.
• He became the Vice President in 1796 after losing by 3 electoral votes.
• Jefferson became the president and took the oath of office in 1801.

POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

• Jefferson believed that everyman has "certain inalienable rights".
• Envisioned democracy as an expression of society as a whole.
• He called for National self-determination, cultural uniformity, and education of all people.
• Jefferson disliked and distrusted the banks and bankers.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

• Jefferson was serving as a minister abroad during the constitutional debates.
• Because of this, he was not involved in the constitutional convention.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

• Authored the original Declaration of Independence.
• Founded, designed, and built the university of Virginia.
• Introduced the decimal system to America.
• He passed the Statute of Religious Freedom for Virginia.

LIFE AFTER JEFFERSON'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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• Jefferson retired to his Virginia plantation home in Monticello.
• He pursued science and natural history through research,experimentation, and invention.
• He sold much of his personal library to the federal government to replace books burned by the British.
• Jefferson became ill and died at age 83 on the the Fourth of July, 1826.

LEGACY

• Articulated the American National creed.
• Helped set universal principles of self-government.
• Helped set forth the Declaration of Independence.