Today in History

April 13, 1743

The Birth of Thomas Jefferson

On this day in 1743, Thomas Jefferson was born in Albemarle County, Virginia. His family was part of a prominent Virginia family, and he received a classical eduction in history, literature, and languages. His father died when he was 14, and Jefferson inherited over 5,000 acres of Virginia farmland. Part of his inheritance also included many slaves of African descent. He was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1767.

In 1776, as a member of the Second Continental Congress, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. After the Revolutionary War, Jefferson served as a legislator for Virginia, was Virginia's govenor, a Minister to France, George Washington's Secretary of State, John Adams' Vice President, and was then elected as the third President of the United States. An extrordinary individual, Jefferson was not only a statesman but also a scientist, an architect, an inventor, and founder of the University of Virginia. He was also very human and a man of his time, and failed to live the courage of his own words in the Declaration of Independance in the face of slavery and with regard to the rights of Native Americans. His legacy, however, as a Founding Father far outweighs his personal shortcomings, and his dedication to republicanism and to the ideals of the separation of church and state remain cornerstones of United States democracy.

Thomas Jefferson died on the 4th of July, 1826.

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