Thomas Jefferson (Founding Father)

Thomas Jefferson was a key American Founding Father and the third President of the United States. He authored the Declaration of Independence, articulating the nation’s core principles of liberty and equality. Jefferson was a strong advocate for individual rights, limited government, and free enterprise. He also founded the University of Virginia, emphasizing education. His vision helped shape the early democracy of the United States, though his legacy is complex due to his ownership of enslaved people and the contradictions therein. Overall, Jefferson played a crucial role in establishing the principles and institutions of modern America.