Thomas Jefferson

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Thomas Jefferson

• 1743-1826

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• Born into a wealthy Virginia family.
• Attended the College of William and Mary and
  graduated in 1762.
• Went on to earn a law degree in 1767.

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• Served in the Virginia House of Burgesses.
• Was a leader in Americas fight for independence
  from British rule.
• After the Revolutionary war, he served as the
  American minister to France, became the nations
  first secretary of state, and was the second
  vice-president before becoming president in 1801.

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• While in office, he nearly doubled the size of
  the nation by authorizing the Louisiana Territory
  from France.
• He helped found the University of Virginia.
• Helped establish the public school system.
• Designed his own house (Monticello)
• Invented a type of elevator for sending food from
  floor to floor.
• Created a decimal system for American money.

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• His personal library was the basis for the
  Library of Congress.
• He was an accomplished statesman, architect,
  botanist, paleontologist, linguist, and musician.

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• One way that Jefferson contributed to the fight
  for American freedom was through his writing.
• Wrote a pamphlet called A Summary View of the
  Rights of British America in 1774.
• In 1776 the Second Continental Congress chose him
  to help draft the Declaration of Independence.

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• Jefferson died on July 4, 1826the 50th
  anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.