Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826
As one of the most recognizable presidents of all time, Thomas Jefferson
left his mark on America in a big way.
Not only was he the third president of the United States, he also
drafted the Declaration of Independence.
Born on April 13th, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia,
Jefferson was the eldest of two sons.
He also had six sisters!
Jefferson studied law at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg,
Virginia. He designed and built
his home Monticello in 1768, and married Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772. They had six children but only two
lived to become adults.
Jefferson believed in religious freedom even though some
people disagreed with him. He also
had strong feelings about the separation of church and state. The idea that individual rights should
be protected was at the heart of his political statements. During his presidency he played a major
role in The Louisiana Purchase and also sponsored the Lewis & Clark
expedition.
When he retired to Monticello in 1808, Jefferson pursued
numerous interests such as reading, writing, philosophy, and architecture. He also helped in the founding of the
University of Virginia. Thomas
Jefferson and his long time friend John Adams both died on July 4th,
1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of
Independence.
Source: A & E Networks
Additional Learning Links
for Thomas Jefferson
Monticello
At the famous home of Thomas Jefferson you can join the
program called ‘A Day in the Life of Jefferson’. You not only visit the grounds and home
of the former president, you get to follow ‘Jefferson’ through a
typical 24 hours in his life. In
this way you can learn about his wide range of talents from a more personal
perspective.
Source: Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc.
Reading Level: Moderate
The White House
This site gives you a complete biography of Jefferson and
every president of the United States.
Find out more about this ‘powerful advocate of liberty’ and
his wife Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson.
Also explore various areas of the White House online.
Source: The White House Biographies
Reading Level: Moderate
Jefferson
Digital Archive
The University of Virginia Library presents the Jefferson
Digital Archive. You will find
electronic texts by or to Jefferson, documentaries, quotations, bibliographies,
and Jefferson organizations.
Especially noteworthy is the special collections of Online Exhibitions
with Jefferson Content.
Source: University of Virginia Library
Reading Level: Advanced
American
Memory
Visit the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress and
you’ll find 27,000 documents related to Jefferson, the largest collection
in the world. The collection has nine
series ranging from the year 1606 to 1827. Browse the list of Special Presentations for more on this
exhibition.
Source:
Library of Congress
Reading Level: Advanced
Jefferson Online
PBS has assembled ‘Thomas Jefferson Online’ for
teachers to find resources and for students to explore. Get lesson plans, answer soul-searching
questions written by Jefferson himself, or simply read around for fun. Learn about the film production of
‘Thomas Jefferson’ and order your own.
Source: PBS, Inc.
Reading Level: Moderate
The Avalon
Project
Read through ‘The Papers of the Presidents’
including works from Thomas Jefferson’s major collections and the Avalon
home. Look over the government
initiatives from the 18th through the 21st centuries and
the section titled ‘Major Works’ for valuable information.
Source: Yale
Law School
Reading Level: Advanced
Declaration
of Independence
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson himself, the Declaration of
Independence remains one of our country’s most cherished documents. View a copy of the original or read the
full transcription of Jefferson’s summary of our country’s
philosophy.
Source: National
Archives and Records Administration
Reading Level: Moderate
© Copyright 2004 by ClassBrain.com
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