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Thomas Jefferson drafts the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in history(June 11, 1776-June 28, 1776). This document would encourage people to fight in the American Revolution and would prove the power of the U.S.A. to everyone in the world. It helped create a new government. The wording was influenced by George Mason's Declaration of Right's, the new Virginia state constitution(at the time), and John Locke's and Thomas Paine's ideals of natural rights. -
Governor of Virginia
Thomas Jefferson was Governor from June 1, 1779-June 3, 1781 in the time of war. Jefferson created two executive departments—the Board of Trade and the Board of War—to help him in matters of finance and defense. However, the British attacked Virginia and he was powerless to do anything, suffering a mental wound, but it wasn't in vain. His pleas reached some men and the powers he asked for were given to the next governor, Thomas Nelson, which helped defend Virginia in the war. -
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedoms
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedoms is a statement about freedom of conscience and the principle of separation of church and state. Thomas Jefferson drafted it in 1777 and it was passed by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786. It dissolved the Church of England and allowed for freedom of religion. It was the forerunner of the 1st Amendment which protected freedom of religion and guaranteed it to every citizen of the U.S.A. -
Jefferson vs. Hamilton
Jefferson(J) and Hamilton(H) were the leaders of the Federalist Party(H) and the Democratic Republican Party(J). They first started clashing when Hamilton proposed to charter a national bank to repay debts from the war. The bank was formed, but the 2 still did not look eye to eye. They had very different opinions on things like their parties. However, both of these men and their parties each benefited the U.S.A. in many ways with compromises and they all had the good of the country in mind. -
Kentucky Resolution
The Kentucky Resolution was a statement in response to the four federal Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. They allowed the President to imprison or deport foreigners, who spread false accusations about the government in jail. Jefferson created the resolution and gave it to John Breckinridge who took it to the Kentucky legislature in modified form. This resolution is important because it helped raise demand for states rights in many ways such as the nullification crisis of South Carolina. -
Jefferson becomes President
In 1801, Thomas Jefferson became the third president of the United States. During the election Jefferson got 73 electoral votes, the same as Aaron Burr so the House of Representatives had to decide on the president. Ironically, Hamilton, Jefferson's rival, influenced everyone in the House to vote for Jefferson because he hated Burr even more. Jefferson would do many important things while he was president, such as strengthening the navy to fight the Barbary pirates. -
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point was founded by Jefferson in 1802. He made Jonathan Williams, the grand-nephew of Benjamin Franklin as the first superintendent of the facility. On July 4, 1802, the USMA formally started as an institution for scientific and military learning. It went on to become one of the leading institutions in America. Its alumni includes 2 U.S. presidents, famous generals, and 75 Medal of Honor recipients. It continues to develop important people even now. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Before, American Western farmers would sail their goods down the Mississippi River to New Orleans to sell them, when Spain owned the river. Spain sold the river to France, so Jefferson sent James Monroe and Robert Livingston to negotiate deals with Napolean Bonaparte, the ruler of France. He needed money to attempt his world conquest and he couldn't defend the territory well, so he agreed, making Jefferson the president who doubled the size of the U.S.A by paying a small amount of $15 million. -
Lewis and Clark's Expedition
After the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson wanted the territory to be mapped and explored to establish the American presence there. This resulted in the Corps of Discovery Expedition which was led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. It did indeed establish the U.S. presence and diplomatic and trade relations were made with native tribes. The expedition offered a wealth of scientific and geographic knowledge. Its success led to Jefferson organizing three other western exploration expeditions. -
University of Virginia
Thomas Jefferson(76-years-old) designed most of the building that was going to become the University of Virginia in 1817, when the cornerstone for the first building was being set. James Monroe, and James Madison were also present. It became a university 8 years later, having 100 students by the end of the year. Many important people came from the school such as Robert F. Kennedy, the 35th President and Leland D. Melvin, an astronaut. An interesting fact is that it was designed like a library.
