Thomas Jefferson was one of most influential Founding Fathers during the American Revolution. As the child of an early settler, he knew firsthand the difficulties of settling in an unknown frontier, in which he showed great leadership. This essential quality helped him become one of the most highly-educated Americans of the 1760s. One of the pinnacles to his political career was his writing of the Declaration of Independence, which he wrote entirely based off of his philosophical ideals and the notions of the Founding Fathers. His position in government, most notably his success as a president, actuated his everlasting impression on society. Thomas Jefferson’s life as the son of an early settler in Virginia led to his leadership skills, and throughout his adult life, he left an imprint on society through: his philosophical beliefs, his writing of the Declaration of Independence, and his presidency. Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 in Shadwell, Virginia, to Peter …show more content…
Starting in June 1775, Jefferson served as an instrumental member to the Second Continental Congress, the second organized meeting of Founding Fathers in Pennsylvania who established America’s militia and George Washington as its leader. Due to Jefferson’s vast knowledge of literature, science, and composition, he was chosen as the man to draft the Declaration. After creating a rough draft of the document, it was sent to John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, two members of the Second Continental Congress who reviewed the document and made only minor changes. One of Thomas Jefferson’s largest impacts on society was through the Declaration’s preamble and clauses which established a clear division between the oppressive British government and the democratic American government, while also listing the “inalienable” rights of man and the limits of