Tommy Lecker

“I cannot live without books.” -Thomas Jefferson (June 1815). With those words and the experience that Thomas had gone through, without books, Thomas would not have accomplished what he had accomplished. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence for freedom from British rule on July 4, 1776. Jefferson loved his home and family, they meant everything to him. He grew up wealthy due to his parents. He was always adventurous and loved to read. He would once make the country that he lived in a new nation and a better place for all humanity.

In this case, Thomas had a sad while beneficial early life. He would once become the man we all know him as today. Yet, [BB1] he had to start off his journey somehow. So, this is where it all started. Thomas Jefferson was born on April 17, 1743, at Shadwell Plantation outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. He would frequently comment on his family. Thomas said to his brother Randoph saying that “No society is so precious as that of one's own family.” In Thomas’s earlier life he grew up in Virginia. His first memory (3 years old) was a 55-mile-long horseback ride with his dad's slave into the Virginia woods. He mostly spent his time in the forest and reading books. His parents were Peter and Jane. At 9 years old he started his formal books. When Thomas was just 11 years old, his father died. He attended boarding school until he was 16. He then attended college at William and Mary in Virginia. From 1762-1767 Jefferson went with legal studies under George Wythe. He inherited his father's land and started to manage it at 21 years old. He enjoyed inventing, mockingbird keeping, astronomy, violin playing,[BB2] architecture, horticulture, mathematics, and obsessive-book collecting. He later married Martha Wayles Skeldon in 1772. Of his six children two of them only survived until adulthood. His six kids were, Sarah Hemings (1773-1835), Harriet Hemings (1795-1797), Beverly Hemings (1798-after 1822), Harriet Hemings (1801-1822), Madison Hemings (1805, 1877), and Etson (Hemings) Jefferson (1808-1856). In 1768, Thomas started building a brick mansion (Monticello) on the property he had inherited from his father. He designed the home and its gardens himself. He decorated the inside of the house with art, furniture, and gadgets. He remodeled it and made it larger over time. He was a lover for modern furniture and homes.

While Thomas had a remarkably busy life, he had to do things that were very hard, but they were for the people, so he was going to do it no matter what was in his way. Thomas Jefferson had many obstacles but he delt with privacy along the Babary Coast of North America (Attempting to defeat the Barbary Pirates). British impressment, which resulted with Thomas instating a mass of European goods, The Embargo Act of 1807. He also was navigating the tension between the British and the French, dealing with opposition from Federalists. Also, he was deciding weather or weather not to make the Louisiana Purchase. He wanted more land for the newborn country, and he also wanted to make it larger in size.

Thomas Jefferson was a highly intelligent man, so he would have some accomplishments. He had a couple but here are 3 major ones that Thomas accomplished himself. One of them is that he wrote the Declaration of Independence, and it was adopted on July 4, 1776. It stated that the colonist wanted freedom from British rule. The second accomplishment that Thomas Jefferson made was that he drafted the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom. He drafted it in 1777 and it established the Church of England. It was enacted into the state's law in 1786. His third accomplishment was when Thomas was elected to be the Third President of the United States of America, he tied with Aaron Burr in the election of the 1800's but managed to still win, he was president to 1801-1809. His vice president was Aaron Burr (1801-1805), and his second vice president was George Clinton (1805-1809).

Thomas Jefferson was a one for remarkable quotes in his time. He wanted to say something to his friend John Adams who Thomas was remarkably close to, and this is what he said, “For depth of purpose, zeal, and sagacity, no man in Congress exceeded, if any equaled, Samual Adams.” -Thomas Jefferson. These accomplishments are what made Jefferson such an important figure in the fight for freedom.

Thomas’s death took place at his home, Monticello, VA. He died of unknown causes on July 4, 1826, just 5 hours right before his friend John Adams did. He is buried in the Monticello Graveyard. Thomas was 83 when he died, and Thomas died on the same day his friend John Adams did. John Adams last words were “Thomas Jefferson still lives” but he was wrong, Thomas had died 5 hours earlier. Thomas’s last words were “No, doctor, nothing more.” His head is on Mount Rushmore and is happily remembered there.

While Thomas wrote the Declaration of Independence, he was also important in many other things too. Thomas was also a particularly good man. He was kind to his family, and he even wrote letters to his family saying how much they helped him through life! He wanted freedom from British rule, so he made it happen. He was also a good president; he secured the U.S economy and conquered the Barbary War. He is also in charge of making the Louisiana Purchase from France and doubling the United States. A weird thing about Thomas’s presidency is that he had two vice presidents. Facts about Thomas Jefferson are, he was a (proto) archeologist, he was an architect, he was a wine aficionado, he was a founding foodie, he was a multi-talented thinker, he went on a hunger strike (he also encouraged people to join him), and he was the major pen of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson is in good company with his friends at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.