Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell which is now become Albemarle County Virginia on April 13, 1743. Jefferson came from a strong pedigree, his mother Jane Randolph Jefferson came from one of the first families in Virginia. Jefferson's father Peter Jefferson was a wealthy landowner in Virginia but not in the same class as some of the wealthy planters at the time. Thomas Jefferson attended the prestigious College of William and Mary from 1760-62 where he studied law, with George Wythe. Five years after Jefferson's graduation from William and Mary in 1769 he began six years of service as a representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Following this time Jefferson began construction on Monticello from land that he had inherited from his father many years before. The huge mansion which was designed in great detail took many years to complete but was nearly finished and ready for occupancy when he married his sweetheart Martha Wayles Skelton on January 1, 1772. Jefferson and his wife had six children, two of whom survived into adulthood. Martha Washington Jefferson (1772-1836), Jane Randolph Jefferson (1774-75) infant son not named (1777), Mary Jefferson (1778-1804), Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson (1780-81), Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson (1782-84).
             Thomas Jefferson accomplished many things during his time in the following pages I will look at three of his major accomplishments. The writing of the Declaration of Independence, being the leader of the Democratic-Republicans and his achievements as the president of the United States are some of his finest highlights during his political career. Thomas Jefferson was a very active member of the Continental Congress, but not a very vocal leader. He contributed his pen rather than his voice to his patriot cause. When Jefferson was 33 years of age the Congress asked him to use his talents to work on the writing of the Declaration of Independence. In this document, Jefferson expressed his own deep i...