Thomas Jefferson

On April 13, 1743, in the Shadwell plantation located in central Virginia, a boy was born to a wealthy, elite family. He would later grow to be one of the most important people in American history. This boy’s name was Thomas Jefferson. His mother was a member of the proud Randolph clan, which had high social status. His father was a successful farmer as well as a skilled surveyor and cartographer. Young Jefferson spent his time playing in the woods, reading, and practicing violin.
At the age of nine, he began his formal education at a local private school run by the Reverend William Douglas where he excelled in classical languages. When he became 14, he took up further study of the classical languages as well as literature and mathematics with the Reverend James Maury. In 1760, Jefferson enrolled at the College of William and Mary, taking classes in science, mathematics, rhetoric, philosophy, and literature. There, Jefferson fell under the influence of Professor William Small. He introduced him to his friends George Wythe, a noted lawyer, and Francis Fauquier, the colonial governor of Virginia.
Jefferson graduated from college in 1762. A career in law appealed to him. In those days, there were no law schools. Young men aspiring to become attorneys studied with already established attorneys. Then they took a test. Those who passed became lawyers. Jefferson began his study under George Wythe, one of the most distinguished lawyers of the American colonies. Wythe guided him through a rigorous five year study.
Jefferson was admitted to the Virginia bar in 1767 and was, by that time, one of the most learned lawyers in America. Jefferson practiced law by following the meetings of the colonial court as it traveled throughout ...

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...the Mississippi. This doubled the size of the United States. Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition to explore this land.
During Jefferson's second term, he was absorbed with keeping the Nation from involvement in the war between England and France, though both England and France interfered with the neutral rights of American merchants. Jefferson's attempted to place an embargo upon American shipping. This worked badly against the Americans. This was replaced with the Nonintercourse Act, which only cut off trade with Britain and France.
After the inauguration of James Madison, Jefferson returned to Virginia. He pursued his interests in philosophy and reading. He also organized the University of Virginia and worked on remodeling Monticello. He kept correspondence with John Adams and became friendly with him. He died on July 4, 1826.