Thomas Jefferson

My Revolutionary War hero is Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was a great American thinker and leader. He was a farmer, lawyer, inventor, President, Vice President, Secretary of State, governor of Virginia, and our third President. Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, on a plantation called Shadwell, that his father, Peter Jefferson, owned in western Virginia. Jefferson died on July 4, 1826 at the age of 83.

Thomas Jefferson built his brick mansion, Monticello, on the land that he inherited from his father. He inherited at least 20 slaves, and he started building his remarkable home in 1768 through 1809. Jefferson wanted to plan and help build Monticello himself. In 1772, when he married Martha Wayles Skelton, he had found someone to share Monticello with. When Martha died, in 1782, he was so distraught that he locked himself in his room during the devastating dark hours and days following this loss. He never remarried. Instead he raised his two daughters Martha and Mary, and watched them grow.

Jefferson did a lot to help the Patriots by becoming a representative of the House of Burgessess. In 1776 he wrote the Declaration of Independence and became governor of Virginia in 1779. Later in 1790, Jefferson became the first Secretary of State under George Washington and in 1779 he was elected Vice President under John Adams. Finally one of his greatest triumphs occurred, becoming the third President of the United States. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in less than three weeks and he wrote and rewrote every single word just right. He rented two rooms in a brick house outside of Philadelphia and each day he wrote in one of the rooms on a portable writing box he designed himself. If Thomas got tired of writing he would take walks around the park revising the Declaration in his head. Thomas Jefferson risked his life for the Patriot cause by writing and signing the Declaration of Independence. If the British had won the war, the signers and Patriots of the colonies would probably be hanged for treason. Treason means a person going against their own country, in other words betrayal.

Thomas Jefferson's actions were heroic because he risked his life and did many things for the future of the United States. He also impacted my life by never giving up and doing all he could for the better being of the United States. If it wasn't for Thomas Jefferson we wouldn't have a Declaration of Independence that has as much power and description.