Jefferson, Thomas (1743–1826)

THE AUTHOR OF the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson led the first opposition party in the United States into becoming the dominant party, making the Democratic Party the oldest party in the United States. Jefferson's political contributions were substantial. [Page 249]He served as president, vice president, secretary of state, foreign ambassador, congressman, governor, and state legislator. He was also a man of multiple talents.

Thomas Jefferson's liberalism, more than other founders' philosophies, came to dominate politics in the young United States.

In addition to founding the University of Virginia, Jefferson was a lawyer, philosopher, writer, architect, and scientist. He loved books and was known to read 15 hours a day at certain periods of his life. When the Library of Congress was almost totally destroyed by ...