American Voice
Thomas Jefferson
Founding Father, Third President, Author of the Declaration of Independence
Biography
Thomas Jefferson (1743 – 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third President of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and one of the most influential voices in the creation of the American republic.
A man of extraordinary intellect and contradictions, Jefferson championed individual liberty, religious freedom, and the separation of church and state. His vision of an agrarian republic and his unwavering belief in the capacity of ordinary citizens to govern themselves shaped the trajectory of the nation for centuries.
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Additional Information
Born: April 13, 1743, Shadwell, Virginia
Died: July 4, 1826, Monticello, Virginia
Era: Founding Era
Roles: President, Diplomat, Philosopher, Architect
Known For: Declaration of Independence, Louisiana Purchase, University of Virginia
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Words of Wisdom
Quotes from Thomas Jefferson
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“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Declaration of Independence, 1776
Perhaps the most consequential sentence in American history, this passage established the philosophical foundation upon which the entire republic was built.
“I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
Letter to Benjamin Rush, 1800
Written in defense of religious freedom, this declaration became one of Jefferson’s most celebrated expressions of his commitment to liberty of conscience.
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
Letter to William Stephens Smith, 1787
Written during the period of Shays’ Rebellion, Jefferson argued that periodic upheaval was a natural and necessary feature of a healthy republic.
“I cannot live without books.”
Letter to John Adams, 1815
After selling his personal library of over 6,000 volumes to Congress to replace the collection burned by the British, Jefferson immediately began acquiring new books.
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
Letter to Nathaniel Macon, 1819
In his later years, Jefferson increasingly emphasized moral character as the essential foundation of both personal fulfillment and public life.
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
Attributed to Thomas Jefferson
While the precise attribution is debated by scholars, this sentiment reflects Jefferson’s lifelong emphasis on determination, self-reliance, and the power of the human will.
Special Notes
Jefferson died on July 4, 1826 — the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Remarkably, John Adams also died on the same day. Adams’ last words are reported to have been “Thomas Jefferson survives,” unaware that Jefferson had passed just hours earlier.
Jefferson composed his own epitaph, choosing to be remembered not as President, but as the “Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia.”
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