- This event has passed.
On this day in 1743, the third president Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Virginia
April 13
An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 13 of April, repeating indefinitely
The third president Thomas Jefferson was born on this day in 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia. At age 33, he drafted the Declaration of Independence and is remembered as its primary author.
Did you know? Jefferson’s proudest accomplishments did not include, as one may expect, serving as president. He requested that his grave be inscribed with three things he was most proud of:
1. His authorship of the Declaration of Independence;
2. his authorship of the Statute of Virginia (a law guaranteeing religious freedom);
3. and his founding of the University of Virginia in 1819.
In his time, Thomas Jefferson had one of the largest private collections of books in America, topping out at over 6,500 volumes. As a result, his collection was crucial in restocking the Library of Congress after it was burned by the British in 1814. 📕📚📖
Thomas Jefferson, Charles Wilson Peale, 1791
