---
node: na_jefferson
type: person
slug: thomas_jefferson
title: "Thomas Jefferson"
lead: "Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States. He was a leading voice of the American Enlightenment."
published: 2026-07-13
updated: 2026-07-13
image_file: thomas_jefferson.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Official_Presidential_portrait_of_Thomas_Jefferson_(by_Rembrandt_Peale,_1800).jpg"
image_author: "Rembrandt Peale"
image_license: "Public domain"
---

## Who they were

A Virginia planter and lawyer, Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776 with its statement that all men are created equal. He later served as minister to France, secretary of state, and vice president.

## What they did

As president from 1801 to 1809 he completed the Louisiana Purchase and sent the Lewis and Clark expedition west. He championed republican government, religious freedom, and public education.

## Legacy

Jefferson's words on liberty and equality became foundational to American ideals. His legacy is complicated by his lifelong ownership of enslaved people, including his relationship with Sally Hemings.