The thirteenth President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, is known as the author of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Jefferson was born April 13, 1743, on his family's plantation at Shadwell, Virginia. His father, Peter Jefferson, served as member of the colonial legislature and as a justice of the peace.

Thomas Jefferson began a legal practice of his own in 1767. Jefferson practiced his legal profession for about 8 years, but he decided to leave law when he became involved with the American Revolution.

On June 21, 1775, Thomas Jefferson was appointed as a representative for Virginia to the Continental Congress. By 1776, Thomas Jefferson, along with 4 others John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman wrote the document known as the Declaration of Independence. Due in a large part to his skills in writing and his legal expertise, Thomas Jefferson is known as the main author of the Declaration. The Declaration of Independence was discussed for three days and changed several times before finally being adopted on July 4th, 1776.

For a number of years, Mr. Jefferson chose not to participate in Congress because of his wife's health. He was elected as a member of the legislature of Virginia where he had his heart set on improving Virginia's laws to the level of the Declaration of Independence. In 1779, Thomas Jefferson was elected as governor of Virginia. He served as an ambassador to France in 1785 and reluctantly became a candidate for president in 1796. He did not become president, however, until 1800. During his two terms as president he served the country and fought for freedom for individuals. Because of this, he was know as one of the most honored presidents in the United States.

Later in his life, he founded the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson died on July 4th, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.