Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809). He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. The most significant event during his presidency was the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

Jefferson previously served as Governor of Virginia (1779–1781), the first U.S. Secretary of State (1789–1793), and the second Vice President (1797–1801). He was elected the third U.S. President in 1800.

Jefferson was also a polymath: an expert in agriculture, horticulture, architecture, etymology, archaeology, mathematics, cryptography, surveying, and paleontology; as well as a writer, lawyer, and violinist. He founded the University of Virginia and is considered the most intelligent of all U.S. presidents. In 1962, President Kennedy said at a White House dinner for 49 Nobel laureates: “Tonight, the White House gathers the most geniuses and knowledge of mankind, excluding Jefferson, who once dined here alone.”

Wealthy Family and Education

Jefferson was born into a wealthy family; his father was a farmer and surveyor. By age 9, he was studying Latin, Greek, and French. His father died when Jefferson was 14, leaving him 5,000 acres of land and dozens of slaves. He then boarded with a learned clergyman, receiving classical education in history and natural sciences. At 16, he entered the College of William & Mary to study mathematics and philosophy, reading up to 15 hours a day. He later studied law and became a qualified lawyer in 1767.

At age 29, Jefferson married the widowed Martha Wayles Skelton and had six children. Martha died at 34 when Jefferson was 44, and he never remarried, living until age 83.

Early Political Career

Jefferson served in Virginia town councils and local government. In 1774, he wrote A Summary View of the Rights of British America, guiding Virginia’s legislature toward the Continental Congress. The pamphlet became a powerful argument against British colonial rule and promoted American independence.

After drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Jefferson returned to Virginia and was elected to the new state legislature. He reformed Virginia’s legal system, drafting 126 laws in three years, establishing religious freedom, and modernizing the judiciary. He later served as Governor of Virginia and founded the University of Virginia, the first U.S. university free from religious affiliation.

Two Terms as President

Jefferson served as President from 1801 to 1809, promoting agrarianism, personal liberty, limited government, and republicanism. His administration oversaw the Louisiana Purchase and commissioned Lewis and Clark to explore western lands.

Though a strict idealist, Jefferson compromised on some principles as president, especially regarding maintaining a small navy, an agricultural economy, and a limited government.

Louisiana Purchase: Doubling U.S. Territory

By 1800, the U.S. population had grown from 3 million to 5 million across 13 states. Louisiana, named by France in 1682 for King Louis XIV, was occupied by Spain in 1762. In 1800, Napoleon regained control but later agreed to sell it to the U.S.

Jefferson initially hesitated, concerned that the purchase would imply recognition of French sovereignty while Spain still claimed it, and that it would expand federal power at the expense of state rights. Many in Congress opposed the purchase as unconstitutional.

Negotiations continued, and France, lacking resources in the Americas and needing funds for European wars, agreed to sell the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Jefferson’s purchase doubled the size of the United States and spurred westward expansion.

Founding the University of Virginia

Jefferson founded the University of Virginia, personally overseeing its architecture. Today, it is one of only four World Heritage Sites in the U.S.

Vision of Democracy and Agriculture

Jefferson envisioned America as an agrarian republic, while Hamilton sought a commercial and industrial nation. Jefferson believed America’s vast lands and sparse population could prevent European-style class conflict. His vision emphasized agriculture, personal liberty, and balanced state and federal power. He supported strong state rights and opposed excessive federal authority.

Slavery

Jefferson owned 650 slaves, inherited from both his and his wife’s families. Though he regarded slavery as inhumane and condemned it in the original draft of the Declaration of Independence, Southern representatives demanded its removal. Jefferson never freed his slaves in his lifetime, reflecting the social realities of his era.

Character and Interests

Jefferson stood 6’2” (189 cm), tall and robust, with an elegant presence and a warm personality. He was energetic, well-read, and charming, with a passion for knowledge. He enjoyed Don Quixote and Molière, and his writings often combined practicality with philosophy.

Jefferson was not a skilled public speaker, rarely delivering his annual State of the Union addresses personally. After his wife’s death, he destroyed their correspondence and sometimes lived in solitude.

Architecture: Monticello and Beyond

Jefferson was an accomplished architect, influencing American architectural style linked to civic virtue and political freedom. His home, Monticello, featured inventions such as automatic doors and a revolving chair, and is now a World Heritage Site. He also contributed to the design of the Virginia State Capitol and pioneered the Federal-style architecture in the U.S.

Library Contribution

After the British burned the U.S. Capitol and Library in 1814, Jefferson donated over 6,400 books to establish the Library of Congress. The government reimbursed him partially, easing his financial difficulties.

Death

Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—the same day as John Adams. Adams died in Quincy, famously saying, “Thomas Jefferson still survives,” unaware Jefferson had died hours earlier. Jefferson died in debt due to founding the University of Virginia; his 552-acre estate was auctioned in 1831 to cover debts. He was buried at Monticello under an epitaph he wrote himself:

“Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and father of the University of Virginia.”

Notably, his epitaph does not mention his presidency, emphasizing his contributions to knowledge and liberty over political power.

In 1943, on Jefferson’s 200th birthday, the Jefferson Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., featuring a 19-foot statue and the inscription: “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”