Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13th, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia. Thomas went to The College of William and Mary. In 1769 he began his six years of service as a representative in the Virginia House of Burgesses. In 1776, Jefferson returned to Virginia where he served until 1779 in the House of Delegates. On June 11th, 1776, Jefferson was appointed to head a committee of five in preparing the Declaration of Independence. He was the primary author of this famous writing. In Jefferson's later years he founded the University of Virginia in 1819. Then, on July 4th, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, he died at Monticello.