Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743. At that time, Virginia was one of 13 colonies that were part of the land claimed by Britain in North America. In 1781, the colonies won the Revolutionary War. That freed them from British rule.
Over the next several decades, the new nation struggled to find the best form of government. It also struggled to make a place for itself among the older, more powerful nations of the world. Jefferson lived to see his country grow strong. Here are some of the highlights—great and small—of his presidency and his lifetime.
