Thomas Jefferson Biography

His family were among the earliest emigrants from England.

1762/1767 : Attended the College of William and Mary and read law

1767 : Admitted to the bar and practiced until 1774 (when the courts were closed by the American Revolution)

1769/1774 : Elected to the House of Burgesses (he was 25 ans).It appeared to be an effective committeeman,skillful draftsman but not an able speaker

1775/1776 : Chosen together with John Adams,Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingstone and Roger Sherman in 1776 to draft the Declaration of Independence. Wrote it all by himself. It was amended by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin

1776 : Left the Congress Served in the Virginia legislature until his election as governor in 1779

1779/1781 : Governor

1781/1783 : Compile his Notes on the State of Virginia (Published in 1785)

1783/1784 : Member of the Continental Congress

1784/1789 : stay in France. Commissioner to negotiate commercial treaties and then successor of Benjamin Franklin as minister

17.09.1787: Ratification of the Constitution of the United States. Jefferson was at this time in Europe

1790/1793 : Secretary of State. Retired as Secretary of State at the end of 1793

1796 : Support by the Republicans for President. He ran second to John Adams by three electoral votes : became vice president

1800 : Became the third President of the United States

1803: Most notable achievement of Jefferson's presidency: he purchased Louisiana. It became part of the United States for 15 millions dollars

1807 : Embargo (adopted in december 1807. Barred all
exports to Britain an France)

1809: As president, Thomas Jefferson was succeeded by James Madison

1819 : Founding the Unibersity of Virginia. After his retirement in 1809, he lived 17 years in Virginia where he died on July 4,1826 (The 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence)