THOMAS JEFFERSON 

by JACKIE GENTRY 

Thomas Jefferson , a tall, thin, and wise man grew up with great ideas . At first he was a lawyer, very successful many people thought . He went to school at the time and was a very smart boy . Law was his favorite thing to learn about . He made many friends too! He was becoming a young gentleman.  

In 1722 Jefferson was elected to the Continental Congress . He soon wrote the Declaration of Independance.Soon Jefferson bought the Louisiana purchase for about four cents an acre . At war Thomas was first a member of the legislature and the governor of the state . Also he worked hard to pass laws to have freedom of religion .  

Jefferson became a burgess in 1768, when he was twenty-five . He was one of the youngest men in the House of Burgesses . They met in Williamsburg,Virginia. George Washington, Patrick Henry, and other burgesses decided the colonies should make their own laws and taxes.So they sent a letter to King George. The king told the governor to get rid of the House of Burgesses, but when he did the people elected the same men again. 

He became elected to the Virginia legislature at the age twenty- six. 

Surprisingly, Jefferson wasn't a good speaker. Instead, he wrote many letters and interesting articles. Most of his letters and articles were about trouble between Great Britain and the Colonies. One of Jefferson's articles was called "The Rights of America." It made Thomas more known among the colonies. Soon after Jefferson became a minister to France. When the new Constitution was complete and Washington was elected for president, Jefferson was appointed the Secretary of the State. At first he was afraid the United States might become a dictatorship. He thought everyone should govern themselves and not everyone else. 

Jefferson had many ideas on government, but many did not agree. Sir Alexander Hamilton was the Secretary Treasury under George Washington. Alexander wanted a very strong central government, run by rich, intelligent men. The people who agreed with Hamilton were called federalists. Thomas Jefferson (Secretary of State under Washington) believed most of the power should belong to the state and the people. The people who agreed with Jefferson were called Republicans. Hamilton loved his country, but did not agree with Jefferson's ideas and statements. Jefferson's ideas made good government. 

Mostly George Washington agreed with Alexander Hamilton more than with Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson returned to Virginia after Washington's first term. (A term is four years and Washington only served two terms!) John Adams, a Federalist, was then elected President and Jefferson, a Republican, was elected the Vice President. Political parties were not brought up by the writers of the Constitution. Later, this would be changed, so that the President and vice President would always be in the same party. 

After Adam's one term, Thomas Jefferson was elected as President of the United States. At this time, France owned most of the land west of the Mississippi River. Jefferson believed America should have this land. He signed a treaty with France, buying this land, which was known as the Louisiana Purchase. This doubled the size of the United States of America. 

In 1804, Jefferson was elected to a second term. He might have been elected for a third term but he did not believe anyone should be President for more than two terms. 

He then returned to Monticello where he helped plan and build the University of Virginia (UVA). 

Thomas Jefferson passed July 4th, 1826, the same day as John Adams. He wrote these words for his tombstone, it was found on his desk; 

"Here was buried Thomas Jefferson,  

author of the Declaration of Independence, 

of the statue of Virginia, religious freedom, 

and father of the University of Virginia"