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1743-1826

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Thomas Jefferson was born on a plantation near Charlottesville, Virginia on April 13, 1843.  He was born into a pretty wealthy family. He was the third  of 10 siblings. As a child he was considered to be a scholar. Jefferson attended the prestigious, William and Mary College. Jefferson studied to become a lawyer. After college he got married and had six  children. Thomas Jefferson had a big impact on American history.  He was an early supporter of American independence from Great Britain. In 1768, he was one of few to be selected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Jefferson wrote a summary view of the repetition rights of British America, which helped people understand why there was war.  In 1755, he joined the Second Continental Congress. In the next year Jefferson,  was the author who wrote the Declaration of Independence. It was revised several times, and it was adopted on July 4, 1776.  After this masterpiece he served in the Virginia Hose of delegates. A year after writing the declaration, he wrote a statute for religious freedom.  Thomas Jefferson was the first Secretary of State. In 1797, he became Vice President. Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States Of America.  As a president he was in charge of the Louisiana Purchase, and putting an end to Tripoli Pirates. Jefferson not only served one term, but, he actually served two terms.  He died on July 4th, 1826.

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The modern legacy that Thomas Jefferson has left on this country is almost unmeasurable. In a way his ideas are what created the free country we have through the Declaration of Independence. His idea of life liberty and pursuit of happiness has been quoted thousands of times and still stands the test of time. Without Thomas Jefferson America would likely not have broke from the bonds that England had burdened on us and not have escaped  from absolutism. We may have never had the government we have today if it wasn’t for the contributions made by Thomas Jefferson during the enlightenment

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Thomas Jefferson was not only the third president of the United States, he influenced many minds in both Europe and the developing United States. Thomas Jefferson’s ideas during the enlightenment culminate with the idea of life liberty and pursuit of happiness. This idea was used in Europe during the time of the French Revolution when poorer classes of people were being suppressed. They began to believe in the equality of all men, and how all men were created equal. It was no longer a singular idea. Governments began to adopt these ideas. In America, the founding fathers used these ideas to create a strong free nation after the revolutionary war. Thomas Jefferson instilled these ideas in America before and during his time as president. Men of all classes lived in cities without harsh discrimination and no religion or social class (besides slaves) was put down by an absolute type ruler. Countries became ruled by democracies instead of singular rule with equal representation of classes so all will get a say in their countries government. The enlightenment held the ideas that influence today’s modern culture and society. His draft of the Declaration of Independence changed American history making us our own country

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Locke, Adam. “Thomas Jefferson.” Enotes.com, Enotes.com, 2018, www.enotes.com/ homework-help/how-jefferson-influenced-by-enlightenment-thinking-1211820.

Smith, John. “Monticello.” Jefferson and the Enlightenment, Monticello , 2019, www.monticello.org/slavery-at-monticello/liberty-slavery/jefferson-and-enlightenment.

“Thomas Jefferson, a Brief Biography.” Monticello, Monticello.org, 20 July 2019, www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/brief-biography-of-jefferson/.

“Thomas Jefferson.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 5 Sept. 2019, www.biography.com/us-president/thomas-jefferson.