Who Was Thomas Jefferson?

Did you know Thomas Jefferson didn’t want to write the Declaration of Independence? It’s true—John Adams had to persuade the shy Virginia statesman to take the job. The result? One of the most powerful and important documents in American history.

Thomas Jefferson went on to become our nation’s third president, but his legacy doesn’t stop there. He was also an architect, inventor, musician, and farmer. Yet, one of the most difficult truths about his life is that he was also a slave owner—a fact that continues to spark discussion today.

This insightful biography introduces young readers to the many sides of Jefferson’s remarkable—and complicated—life as a founding father, thinker, and leader.