Complete biography of thomas jefferson

How did thomas jefferson die

Thomas Jefferson April 13 [ O. April 2], — July 4, was an American Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from to Following the American Revolutionary War and before becoming president in , Jefferson was the nation's first U. Jefferson was a leading proponent of democracy, republicanism , and natural rights , and he produced formative documents and decisions at the state, national, and international levels.

Jefferson was born into the Colony of Virginia 's planter class , dependent on slave labor. His advocacy for individual rights , including freedom of thought , speech , and religion , helped shape the ideological foundations of the revolution and inspired the Thirteen Colonies' fight for independence, culminating in the establishment of the United States as a free and sovereign nation.

In , Congress appointed Jefferson U. President Washington then appointed Jefferson the nation's first secretary of state, where he served from to During this time, in the early s, Jefferson and political ally James Madison organized the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose the Federalist Party during the formation of the nation's First Party System.

Jefferson and Federalist John Adams became both personal friends and political rivals. In the U. Four years later, in the presidential election , Jefferson again challenged Adams and won the presidency.