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What Are Thomas Jefferson's Accomplishments

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Thomas Jefferson was one of the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of the cause of American independence from Great Britain. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1768 and joined its radical bloc, led by Patrick Henry and George Washington. In 1777, Jefferson wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which established freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. Although the document was not adopted as Virginia state law for another nine years, it was one of Jefferson's proudest life accomplishments. On June 1, 1779, the Virginia legislature elected Jefferson as the state's second governor. His two years as governor proved the low point of Jefferson's political career. Torn between the Continental …show more content…

After months of mourning, in June 1783, Jefferson returned to Philadelphia to lead the Virginia delegation to the Confederation Congress.
Jefferson arrived in Virginia in November 1789 to find George Washington waiting for him with news that Washington had been elected the first president of the United States of America, and that he was appointing Jefferson as his secretary of state. Besides Jefferson, Washington's most trusted advisor was Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. A dozen years younger than Jefferson, Hamilton was a New Yorker and war hero who, unlike Jefferson and Washington, had risen from humble beginnings.
Incredibly rancorous partisan battles emerged to divide the new American government during Washington's presidency. On one side, the Federalists, led by Hamilton, advocated for a strong national government, broad interpretation of the constitution and neutrality in European affairs. On the other side, the Republicans, led by Jefferson, promoted the supremacy of state governments, a strict constructionist interpretation of the constitution and support for the French revolution. Washington's two most trusted advisors thus provided nearly opposite advice on the most pressing issues of the day: the creation of a national bank, the appointment of federal judges and the official posture toward France. On January 5, 1794, frustrated by the endless conflicts, Jefferson resigned as secretary of state, once again abandoning politics in favor of his family and farm at

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In the farewell speech of George Washington (1796), the outgoing president warned that the creation of political factions "sharpened by the spirit of vengeance" would certainly lead to "formal and permanent despotism." Despite warnings from Washington, two of his closest advisers, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, helped form the factions that led to the dual party system in which the United States operates today. Other men, including James Madison and John Adams, also contributed to the formation of political parties, but Hamilton and Jefferson came to represent the divisions that shaped the national political landscape at the beginning. Although both men had been active in the revolutionary effort and in the foundation of the United States, Jefferson and Hamilton did not work together until Washington appointed Jefferson as First Secretary of State and Hamilton as First Secretary Of the Treasury. From the beginning, the two men fed

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Under President Thomas Jefferson, the politics and direction of the Nation began to change in a huge way. The Jefferson Presidency was a very dynamic one, as President Adams (a Federalist) had stacked the cards against Jefferson in the presidential election of 1800 (Shultz, 2013). President Adams appointed several U.S. Supreme Court judges that held onto Federalist ideas. Thomas Jefferson, however, was considered a Democratic-Republican. Democratic-Republicans, in general, sought to limit the power of the national government and military (Feldmeth, n.d.).

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For Jefferson in 1804 running for president he stood by his word that "one man" could positively represent the whole nation. He won the election when his party stressed the 12th amendment giving him an open door to presidency. As times are changing New England's political and economical situation worsened and fear of the people grew much higher. Federalist politics made an extreme decision they were split and divided between two groups called the radicals and the moderates. The issue forcing the split was " whether the union was in New England's ultimate interest"(pg5).

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He was also very famous because he helped break the link between religion and government through the Virginia Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson was the governor of Virginia for two years during the Revolutionary War. Jefferson wrote the Kentucky Resolution in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. His running mate was Aaron Burr. Thomas Jefferson was the most likely candidate because he was a Democratic-Republican, and the American people favored him over John Adams, who was a

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During his time of presidency one of his greatest achievements was the Louisiana purchase, but he faced a few problems with it. Thomas Jefferson was one of the earliest and most intense supporters of the cause of American independence from Great Britain. In 1768, he was elected into the house of burgesses, led by Patrick Henry and George Washington. Jefferson’s first major political work was “"A Summary View of the Rights of British America, “which established his reputation as one of the most articulate advocates of the American cause. However, the Congress's most significant work fell to Jefferson himself.

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Jefferson and his followers shared very distinct ideals during his administration. The economy, education, and the culture and politics of the country were among his most premiered ideals, ones in which he focused a lot of time and energy on. When Jefferson and his followers, began their journey on setting forth and achieving their goals, they did everything to resist to any and all forms of aristocracy. They did not trust the aristocracy education system, the economy, and especially not the aristocracy politics.

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This paper contained many views he incorporated later into the Declaration of Independence, which is said to be a charter of American and universal liberties. Jefferson was elected to the Second Continental Congress which convened in Philadelphia in 1776. While serving in the Second Continental Congress Jefferson, along with four others including Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence. The other four members deferred to Jefferson because they realized what an eloquent and accomplished writer he was. During the Revolution from 1779-1781 Jefferson served as the Governor of Virginia.

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Jefferson had 50 years of service towaards the new country of the United States. Some of jeffersons accomplhiments other then the expansion of the country and being presiden were: Govenor of Virginia, Founded university of Virginia, wrote declaration of independance, contributed to the louisana purchase, and many other notable things to the

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Jefferson also served as a Governor of Virginia in 1779 to 1781. Then in France, he was a trade commissioner and then Benjamin Franklin's successor as minister. Then in 1790 he accepted the Secretary of State under George Washington. Then in 1798 he tried for presidency against John Adams and lost.

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Thomas Jefferson was a devout Republican and viewed the Constitution as it should be followed strictly by text and empowered congress to enact laws that were mandatory and respectable. He was also a strong supporter of states’ rights and decisions should be left to them to vote on. Here is an example where his stance stood when president Washington ask for advice from his cabinet, while as Secretary of Sate if the United Sates should charter a national bank, “The Bank of the United States”. Jefferson took advantage at every opportunity to express his own views on how to interpret the Constitution and he viewed this as this was not a Congress’s obligation to raise money and was against it. Jefferson sought to limit the powers of the federal government and

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He was our third president of the United States of America (1801- 1809). His last public service was founding the University of Virginia at the age of 76. Thomas Jefferson was also a member of Congress, Governor of Virginia, Trade Commissioner, Minister to France and Secretary of State. When Thomas was president he bought the Louisiana Territory and supported the Lewis and Clark expedition. During the Revolutionary War, Thomas Jefferson was in the Virginia House of Delegates, It is when he was elected governor and when his wife Martha died.

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In the fall of 1776, Thomas Jefferson resigned from the Continental Congress and he was re-elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. One of Jefferson’s most significant achievements of his career was when he wrote the Virginia lawmakers that was passed in 1786. Jefferson later served as a governor of Virginia from 1783 to 1784, then he worked his way up and he was later advocating for the bill of rights, and the presidential term limits. The part that is most interesting is what was his interest on becoming a

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He was a talented writer and at age 33, he was asked to draft the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Jefferson resigned from the Continental Congress and was re-elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1776. When Jefferson returned to America in 1789, he accepted an appointment from President George Washington to become the new nation’s first secretary of state. In the presidential election of 1796, Jefferson ran against John Adams and received the second highest amount of votes which made him vice president.

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Jefferson’s Presidency can be seen from different points, but he did help shape America to what it is today, through the goods and the bads. He may have been inconsistent at times with how he governed, but he did put in place good foundation of how switching between political parties should

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Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton both had very differing ideas on what America should look like. Hamilton led the Federalist party and believed in a strong central government and a loose interpretation of the constitution which means that politicians could read inbetween the lines and bend the rules. Jefferson led the Democratic-Republican party who believed in a weak central government and a strict interpretation of the constitution which allowed only what was specifically said in the constitution. This division often made it difficult for the country to agree on things and make change when it was needed. In addition to this political division, the North and South were two very divided areas.

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