Born on 13 April 1743, Thomas Jefferson was a famous American statesman, lawyer, and diplomat. As one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, he is known for being one of the key figures in shaping the country as it exists today.

1. Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States.

Serving two terms, from 1801 to 1809, Jefferson was a famous leader who became well known for his leadership as well as his push to expand the country (which was smaller at the time) and to maintain individual liberties.

2. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Jefferson was one of the writers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which proclaimed that the US would be independent from British rule. The declaration also laid out many of the core values of the US, such as liberty, and democracy. As such, Jefferson has gone down in the history as one of the founding fathers of the United States. He was even the first Secretary of State under the first President of the country, George Washington.

3. Jefferson was a polymath.

Jefferson had a lot of interests and talents. He was a polymath (a person of wide knowledge or learning), with interests in architecture, archaeology, botany, music, and more. A curious and intelligent person, he was famous as a skilled violinist and collected lots of instruments, including violins and harpsichords.

4. He was a farmer too.

Jefferson grew many different crops, such as wheat, grapes and tobacco, on his estate. This gave him a passion for policies that supported sustainable agriculture and preserving the land.

5. Jefferson was a slave owner who later campaigned for abolition.

Like many wealthy leaders in the US at the time, Jefferson personally owned slaves. However, he later advocated for the abolition of slavery later in his life, believing that it was both morally wrong and against the principles set out in the Declaration of Independence.

6. He founded the University of Virginia.

A strong supporter of education, Jefferson founded the University of Virginia in 1819. It was his belief that education could be made available to all citizens of all backgrounds.

7. He was a key advocate for religious freedom.

Jefferson believed in the separation of church and state which is key in American politics to this day. It was his belief that the state does not interfere with religious beliefs so that people could practice their religion without fear of oppression.

8. Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France.

Jefferson nearly doubled the size of the United States by buying the Louisiana Territory in 1803. This major event opened up access to all kinds of new trade and commerce for America.

9. He was famous for loving animals.

Jefferson bred multiple breeds of dogs, such as Briard sheepdogs and coonhounds, and also kept horses and other livestock. Jefferson is famous for being particularly close to his horse, Juno.

10.Thomas Jefferson was a huge fan of ice cream.

A major fan of ice cream, Jefferson served the treat at White House dinners and even built his own ice cream stand built at his estate. It’s thought that he experimented with all kinds of flavours like chocolate, vanilla, and cherry, as is one of the first known fans of ice cream in history.

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