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Thomas Jefferson

From dKosopedia

Contents

Personal

Presidency

Cabinet

Biography

In the thick of party conflict in 1800, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a private letter, "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."

Although apparently a natural writer, Jefferson was not a born public speaker. During terms in the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, his contributions to the Independence Movement were made with ink and pen, and not his voice.

Jefferson was 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence. He spent many years promoting its ideals in his home state of Virginia, most notably, a bill he wrote establishing religious freedom in 1786.

Jefferson was a reluctant candidate for President in 1796, and came within 3 electoral votes of the office that year. He became Vice President under the then terms of the US Constitution (the first place candidate became president, the second place candidate became vice-president), and served under President John Adams. Four years later, he became president.

Jefferson had a momentous presidency. He was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington D.C. Upon assuming the office, he slashed Army and Navy expenditures, eliminated the tax on whiskey, cut the budget, and reduced the national debt by a third. He approved the purchase of the Louisiana Territories from Napoleon in 1803 - opening the entire continent to American expansion throughout the coming century. Approximately 6,000 books from Jefferson's private library were purchased, and began the catalog of materials of the Library of Congress.

Jefferson both owned and had read the Koran.

Jefferson retired to his estate at Monticello, where he died on July 4, 1826.

References

President of the United States of America
Washington • J Adams • Jefferson • Madison • Monroe • JQ Adams • Jackson • Van Buren • W Harrison • Tyler • Polk • Taylor • Fillmore • Pierce • Buchanan • Lincoln • A Johnson • Grant • Hayes • Garfield • Arthur • Cleveland • B Harrison • Cleveland • McKinley • T Roosevelt • Taft • Wilson • Harding • Coolidge • Hoover • F Roosevelt • Truman • Eisenhower • Kennedy • L Johnson • Nixon • Ford • Carter • Reagan • GHW Bush • Clinton • GW Bush • Obama

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This page was last modified 06:20, 8 August 2008 by roger. Based on work by Chad Lupkes, Bartfart and CD and dKosopedia user(s) Monkeyface, Powerofpie, Owen, Allamakee Democrat, 757 student, Ikswazi af Fahr, Kagro X, Rorschach, Angie in WA State, Jumbo, RobLa and Lapis. Content is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.


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