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Thomas Jefferson Declaration Of Independence Summary

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Thomas Jefferson author of the declaration of independence was born April 3, 1743 in Virginia. Jefferson was the third president of the united states and founder of the university of virginia. Thomas Jefferson was the son of Peter Jefferson, a successful planter and surveyor. His mother Jane Randolph was a member of one of the most families in virginia. Jefferson inherited land from his father and started building monticello at age 26. Three years later he married Martha Wayles Skelton. During this marriage he had six kids, only two survived until adulthood. At the age of nine Jefferson began his formal studies. He did boarding school until the age of sixteen. In 1760 he enrolled at the college of William and Mary. During this time he took science, mathematics, rhetoric, philosophy, and literature. Jefferson looked up to William Small as a mentor. He also pursued legal studies with George Wythe. Jefferson was perhaps one of the best read lawyers upon his admission to the Virginia bar in April 1767. The study of law meant a lot to Jefferson. He felt that legal issues allowed him to consider many aspects of society, including its history, politics, culture, institutions, and the moral conscience of its people. During this time not many people could afford the education that he …show more content…
He was also a founding father and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Although he contributed his pen more than his voice. As president Jefferson slashed army and navy expenditures, cut the budget, eliminated the tax on whiskey, and reduced the national debt by a third. Jefferson sent a naval squad to fight the Barbary pirates who were harassing American commerce in the Mediterranean. The constitution made no condition for the acquisition of new land, but Jefferson suppressed his qualms over the constitution when he had the opportunity to acquire the Louisiana territory from napoleon in

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