Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia he was of Welsh decent. His father’s name was Peter his mother’s was Jane Randolph. His parents ran a plantation.

In 1748 he attended elementary school and by 1752 he studied Latin, Greek and French. He attended William and Mary College in1760. By 1767 he was admitted to the bar and served until the Revolution closed the courts of Justice. Thomas married Mrs. Martha Skelton in1772. In the spring of 1773, Jefferson was appointed a member of the “Committee of Correspondence and Inquiry for the Dissemination of Intelligence between the Colonies.” March of 1775 he was elected delegate to the Continental Congress. Jefferson took his seat and was appointed chairman and writer of the Declaration of Independence; this document was finished by July 4, 1776. Between 1797 and 1801 he served as vice-president under John Adams. In 1804 Jefferson was elected president.

During his tenure of presidency, Lewis and Clark conducted their exploration of the West. The explorers left the River Dubious, near St. Louis, on March 14, 1804 and they reached the mouth of the Columbia River on November 15, 1805. President Jefferson had a keen interest in scientific interests and exploration.

Jefferson died in 1826 at the age of 83 at his home Monticello. The same year that the United States Constitution celebrated it’s 50th Anniversary.