 THOMAS JEFFERSONThird President of the United States
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THOMAS JEFFERSONThird President of the United States
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Thomas Jefferson wanted the 13 colonies to become a nation. He was a good writer, so he wrote letters asking people to help the nation become free. He wrote letter after letter; 50,000 letters during his lifetime.
He was such a good writer that he was one of five men chosen to write the Declaration of Independence. He wanted to be able to think, so he rented a house and stayed there by himself for 17 days. He searched in his mind for just the right words. When he had finished it, he gave it to the Continental Congress, and on July 4, 1776 it was adopted * . The war for freedom; the revolution * had started.
Jefferson was born on the family farm in Virginia to a wealthy family. He had six sisters and three brothers; a large family indeed.
When he was a boy he enjoyed hunting, fishing, riding horses and canoeing. He also loved music and learned to play the violin.
His father was his teacher and his parents talked to him about the importance of serving others. His father died when Thomas was 14 years old.
When he was 17 he entered college and studied law. He would make a schedule for himself and study 15 hours or more a day. Because of his hard work, he was at the head of his class. He soon passed the bar exam * and became a lawyer in Virginia.
Monticello
Photo by Christopher HollisHe married and built a home called Monticello (Mon-ti-CHELLO). Later his wife, Martha, died.
When George Washington was president, Jefferson was his secretary of state. Then he served as vice president under John Adams. Jefferson was elected the third president of the United States in 1801.
His wife died 19 years before he became president, so there was no "First Lady" * . Sometimes his daughters served as hostesses * . Dolley Madison, the wife of his Secretary of State, was also a popular hostess in the White House.
He knew the country had to grow, so he completed the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the size of the nation.
After two terms as president he returned to Monticello and farming. He grew hundreds of different kinds of vegetables and fruit trees.
He knew education was important, so he planned the University of Virginia. He designed the buildings and marked where they should be built. He also chose the library books, and even hired the teachers. The school opened in 1825 with 40 students.
Thomas Jefferson died 50 years after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
This biography by Patsy Stevens, a retired teacher, was written in 2001.
A frequent question:
"Who wrote this biography and when was it written?"
Look on this Reference Citations Chart.
RESEARCH LINKS
Declaring Independence - Video
Early America.com
The Thomas Jefferson Papers
at the Library of Congress
Writing the Declaration of Independence,1776
from Eye Witness to History
Thomas Jefferson
Ducksters
My Own Book
put yourself in this story about the Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson Lesson Plan
Lesson Snips.com
(You must register to access lessons.)
Louisiana Purchase Lesson Plan
Lesson Snips.com
The Declaration of Independence
video lesson
(Click on the topics "Interactive Media Files", be sure volume is turned up.)
Jefferson as President
video lesson
(Click on the topics "Interactive Media Files" )
Information about Thomas Jefferson
(Look in the box top left) at Humanities Web
Thomas Jefferson
American Presidents, Life Portraits
Listen to stories about this president.
Whitehouse 101
fun facts about the presidents
Presidential Coloring Pages
1776 (audio)
Jefferson and Technology (audio)
Two Monticellos (audio)
Engines of Our Ingenuity.
Thomas Jefferson
from Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography 1888
At biography.com search for Thomas Jefferson.
Scroll the panel for the "Video & Audio Results".
From Word Central's Student Dictionary
by Merriam - Webster
(Pronunciation note: the schwa sound is shown by ə)
adopt
Pronunciation: ə-'dopt
Function: verb
to accept formally as in "the assembly adopted a constitution"
revolution
Pronunciation: "rev-ə-'loo-shən
Function: noun
a sudden, extreme, or complete change or a basic change in government;
especially : the overthrow of one government and the substitution
of another by the governed, rebellion
examination (exam)
Pronunciation: ig-"zam-ə-'nA-shən
Function: noun
a test to determine progress, fitness, or knowledge
First Lady
Function: noun
Usage: often capitalized
the wife or hostess of the male chief executive of a state or nation
hostess
Pronunciation: 'hO-stəs
Function: noun
a woman who acts as host; especially : one who greets
Discover Thomas Jefferson: Architect, Inventor
By Patricia A. Pingry / Ideals Publications Inc
Young readers will enjoy discovering the life of Thomas Jefferson on their own through humorous watercolors and informative, easy-to-read text. Features simple sentences and color illustrations. Written at a second-grade level.
Thomas Jefferson Biography FunBook
By Carole Marsh & Sherry Moss(Editor) / Gallopade International
Everyone's favorite way to learn about America's most important citizens! Easy-to-read information, facts, trivia, humor and activities are all included in Biography Funbooks! Ages 7-12. paperback.
Who Was Thomas Jefferson?
By Dennis Brindell Fradin / Grosset & Dunlap
Did you know that John Adams had to coax Thomas Jefferson into writing the Declaration of Independence? It's true. The shy Virginia statesman refused at first, but then went on to author one of our nation's most important and inspiring documents. The third U.S. president, Jefferson was also an architect, inventor, musician, farmer, and-what is certainly the most troubling aspect of his life-a slave owner. Finally, here's a biography for kids that unveils the many facets of this founding father's remarkable and complicated life. 112 pages, paperbacks. Ages 8-12.
7 Events that Made America, America: And Proved that the Founding Fathers Were Right All Along
By Larry Schweikart / Sentinel
Every schoolchild is taught the great turning points in American history, such as Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, the Kennedy assassination, and 9/11. But other, equally significant events have altered our destiny without being understood-or even widely noticed.Conservative historian Larry Schweikart now takes an in-depth look at seven such episodes and reveals the profound ways they have shaped America. He also asks readers to reconsider them not just in terms of what happened, but in light of the Founding Fathers' vision for our nation.
You'll be surprised to learn how these events spurred sweeping changes that still affect us today. For instance:
Martin Van Buren's consolidation of the first national political party made it possible for Barack Obama to get elected almost two centuries later. Dwight Eisenhower's heart attack led to a war on red meat, during which the government took control over Americans' diets. The rock'n'roll craze (often mistakenly claimed as a liberal phenomenon) helped bring about the decline of communism and the fall of the Soviet Union. This provocative book will enlighten anyone looking for clarity about our past and inspiration for our future.
A LIBRARY OF
ONLINE BOOKS and BOOK PREVIEWSThomas Jefferson (First Biography)
by Cassie Mayer (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson (Photo-illustrated Biography)
by T. M. Usel (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson: A Life of Patriotism
by Ann-Marie Kishel (selected pages) Order here
Sterling Biographies: Thomas Jefferson: Architect of Freedom
by Rita Thievon Mullin (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson (Weekly Reader)
by Monica Rausch (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson : a picture book biography
by James Giblin, Michael Dooling (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson
by Rebecca Aldridge (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson: A Founding Father of the United States of America
by Lori Mortensen (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson: Let Freedom Ring!
by Sneed B. Collard (selected pages) Order here
Thomas Jefferson, Presidents and Their Times
by Trudi Strain Trueit (selected pages) Order here
"Thomas Jefferson, A Character Sketch"
(public domain) online book by Edward Ellis 1898
"Thomas Jefferson"
(public domain) online book by Thomas Watson 1900
Preview the Amazon books using the links below.
Thomas Jefferson, Great American
by Matt Doeden (selected pages)
Thomas Jefferson, First Biographies
by Judy Emerson (selected pages)
Thomas Jefferson, Architect of Democracy
by John B. Severance (selected pages)
Thomas Jefferson, History Maker Bios
by Victoria Sherrow (selected pages)
Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States
by Heidi M. D. Elston (selected pages)
Thomas Jefferson
by Carol H. Behrman (selected pages)
Profiles of the Presidents, Thomas Jefferson
by Ann Heinrichs (selected pages)
Page Comments
Most Recent Comments ( See more comments on this page ) 2012-10-14
this really helped w/ a report about the founding fathers
2012-05-08
I am doing something in class and when i read it i was thinking about the trial were doing at school
Shaun2012-04-18
thank this really helped on my notables project!!!!
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