Thomas helped form the Bill of Rights by first writing a similar document for the State of Virginia. His ideas of democracy greatly influenced the Constitutional Convention. He did not want a strong central government. He really wanted a government that was for the people and by the people.
Since the death of his wife his two girls needed him. The United States needed him also, so he represented the new United States for five years in France. In 1801 Jefferson was elected the third president. He reduced the federal debt by one third. Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase land from France. He picked Lewis and Clark to explore it. He was elected to be president in 1805 for a second term. England went to war with France. He had alot of problems with the English.
In 1809 Jefferson went home to Monticello. He started a school called the University of Virginia. As he neared death in the spring of 1826 he wanted to live until the Fourth of July. He kept asking if the day arrived and when it did he rested in peace. He died on July 4,1826. He lived to be 83. Thomas died a poor man , but went down in history.
