plantation at Shadwell in Albermarle County, Virginia. His father, Peter Jefferson owned thirty slaves and a tobacco and wheat farm. Thomas was the third of ten children. He learned to speak French, Greek and Latin. He enjoyed politics, mathematics and practicing the violin. When

Jefferson was fourteen his father died, leaving him their entire estate. After he

graduated in 1762 from College of William and Mary, Jefferson began to study law under George Wythe. In April 1764, Jefferson gained control of his father's estate and was named justice of the peace and vestryman.

Early in 1767, Jefferson became a member of the bar of the state of Virginia.

He became a lawyer and practiced law eight years until the Revolutionary War. On January 1, 1772 Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton, who was the daughter of John Wayles, a rich Williamsburg lawyer. In May of 1769 Jefferson took his seat as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. Jefferson was only twenty-six years old.

In 1776, Jefferson resigned his seat in congress because of the failing

health of his wife. He had again been elected a member of the Virginia legislature, and he wor

bad situation. Napoleon told Talleyrand to sell the territory and in April the foreign minister sold to them all of Louisiana. The price was $15 million and $11,250,000 was to be paid right away by the U.S. to France. Jefferson though it was illegal to add new land without adding a new amendment to the Constitution. The law did give Jefferson treaty-making power, and the U.S. Senate put the Louisiana Purchase into law as a treaty. The Louisiana Purchase is the largest area of land ever added to the U.S. at one time.

Jefferson said in his essay on slavery..."It will probably be asked, Why not retain

Some common words found in the essay are:
Declaration Independence, United Jefferson, Sedition Act, France Jefferson, Britain France, Congress Jefferson, Independence Jefferson, Libri Jefferson, Wythe April, Army Navy, declaration independence, louisiana purchase, john adams, france jefferson, britain france, louisiana territory, alien sedition acts, jefferson chairman, sedition acts, alien sedition, aaron burr, jefferson chairman committee,
Approximate Word count = 1593
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)