1743-1826. The 3rd president of the USA
1801-09, founder of the Democratic Republican
party. He was born in Virginia into a wealthy
family. He published A Summary View of the
Rights of America 1774 and as a member of the
Continental Congresses of 1775-76 was largely
responsible for the drafting of the
Declaration of Independence. He was governor
of Virginia 1779-81, ambassador to Paris
1785-89, secretary of state 1789-93, and vice
president 1797-1801. Jefferson's interests
also included music, painting, architecture,
and the natural sciences; he was very much a
product of the 18th century enlightenment.
His political philosophy of `agrarian
democracy' placed responsibility for
upholding a virtuous American republic mainly
upon a citizenry of independent yeoman
farmers. Ironically, his two terms as
president saw the adoption of some of the
ideas of his political opponents, the
Federalists. He was supportive of the French
Revolution and spent four years in France
while dispatching advice through his ally
James Madison on the proposals for a
Constitutional Convention. Upon his return to
the political scene, he carried on his battle
with Alexander Hamilton, who held views of
America directly opposed to his own agrarian,
democratic inclinations.