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TJBirt2Birth Thomas Jefferson was born to Jane Randolph and Peter Jefferson.<br />Location: Shadwell plantation, Albemarle County, VA<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774) <a href="www.virginia.edu">UVa</a>4/13/17436080monthhalfcircle_white.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Thomas_Jefferson_by_Rembrandt_Peale%2C_1800.jpg
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TJEarl3Early SchoolingJefferson begins attending a local school run by Reverend William Douglas.<br />Location: Albemarle County, VA<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17526050yesquare_orange.png
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TJDeat4Death of Peter JeffersonJefferson's father Peter, a planter and surveyor, dies. Jefferson is left over 2,500 acres, including what would become his home at Monticello.<br />Location: Albemarle County, VA<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17576050yesquare_orange.png
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TJEarl5Early Schooling ContinuedJefferson attends the school of the Reverend James Maury. He boards with Maury's family. At about this time, he also begins keeping a literary commonplace book, writing extracts in it from Greek, Latin, and English literature.<br />Location: Fredericksville Parish, twelve miles from Shadwell<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17581/1/17606050yesquare_orange.png
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TJUniv6University LifeJefferson attends the College of William and Mary. He studies mathematics and philosophy with William Small of Scotland. He learns French, practices the violin, and gains a reputation for studiousness. He attends dinners with Virginia governor Francis Fauquier. <br />Location: Williamsburg, VA<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17601/1/17626050yesquare_orange.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f3/College_of_William_%26_Mary_Seal.png
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TJGrad7GraduationJefferson graduates from William and Mary.<br />Location: Williamsburg, VA<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17626080yesym_file.png
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TJStud8Studying LawJefferson begins law studies with George Wythe, his former teacher at the College of William and Mary and now his mentor in the legal profession.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17626050yesquare_orange.png
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TJInhe9InheritanceJefferson turns 21 and offically inherits 2,750 acres from his father's estate.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17646050yesquare_orange.png
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TJPass10Passing the BarJefferson passes his bar examination and returns to Shadwell. <br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17656050yesquare_orange.png
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TJTour11Touring the NortheastSpring-Summer. Jefferson makes a tour of Annapolis, Philadelphia, and New York.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17666050yesquare_orange.png
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TJPrac12Practicing LawJefferson begins practicing law in Albemarle and Augusta counties.<br />Location: Albemarle and Augusta Counties, VA<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17676050yesquare_orange.png
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TJBirt13Birth of MonticelloJefferson starts builidng Monticello at the top of an 867-foot mountain inherited from his father. <br />Location: Albemarle County, VA<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17686080yeplus_green.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Monitcello_47MP.jpgauthor: SBuckley
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TJGene14General Court of VAJefferson is admitted to the bar of the General Court of Virginia.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17696050yesquare_orange.png
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TJHous15House of BurgessesJefferson takes his seat as representative from Albemarle County in the Virginia House of Burgesses. Edmund Pendleton and Jefferson's uncle (or possibly, cousin), Peyton Randolph, both prominent planters in the House, act as his mentors.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/5/17691/1/17766050yeflag_blue.png
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TJFire16Fire at ShadwellShadwell, the Jefferson family estate, burns. Most of Jefferson's personal and family papers and books are destroyed.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17706050yesym_warning.png
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TJMove17Move to MonticelloJefferson takes up residence at Monticello.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/11/17706050yesquare_orange.png
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TJMarr18Marriage to Martha SkeltonJefferson marries Martha Wayles Skelton, a widow, aged twenty-three. Her dowry almost doubles his land and slaves. In addition to Monticello, Jefferson's holdings will include several plantations in Albemarle County and Poplar Forest estate in Bedford County.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/1/17726050yeplus_yellow.png
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TJBirt19Birth of PatsyMartha (Patsy) is born. Jefferson and his wife Martha will have six children, only two of whom will live to adulthood.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)9/27/17726050yehalfcircle_white.png
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TJInhe20Inheritance of MarthaThrough the division of the estate of Jefferson's wife's father, John Wayles, the Jeffersons acquire by inheritance £4000 in debts as well as 135 additional slaves, among them Elizabeth (Betty) Hemings (c.1735-1807). Betty Hemings is the daughter of an African slave and an English sea captain and reportedly the mistress of John Wayles and mother of several of his children. Betty Hemings eventually has ten children, among whom are Robert, who works as Jefferson's valet; Martin, who acts as household butler; Sally (c.1773-1835), a chamber maid; John, who becomes a skilled cabinet-maker; and James, who trains in French cuisine in Paris and is employed as a chef. Documentation of Hemings family members, including Sally Hemings and the six children born to her who are noted in Monticello records, can be found in a report of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Unlike the members of other Monticello slave families, all of Sally Hemings' children who live to adulthood will gain their freedom. The youngest Hemings sons, Madison (b. 1805) and Eston (b. 1808), will be freed in Jefferson’s will.<br />Time period: The Colonial Period (1743-1774)1/14/17746050yesquare_orange.png
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TJJeff21Jefferson drafts instructions for the Virginia delegates to the first Continental CongressJefferson drafts instructions for the Virginia delegates to the first Continental Congress. In the draft, Jefferson argues that Parliament has no governing rights over the colonies and asserts that the colonies have been independent since their founding. He describes the usurpations of power and deviations from law committed by King George III as well as by Parliament. Jefferson is not present in the Virginia House when his draft instructions are debated. While the House adopts a more moderate position, Jefferson's friends have his instructions published in August in Williamsburg, as A Summary View of the Rights of British America. The pamphlet is circulated in London as well as in Philadelphia and New York and establishes Jefferson's reputation as a skillful, if radical, political writer.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)1/7/17746050yesquare_orange.png
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TJDele22Delegate to the Second Continental CongressJefferson is elected as a delegate to the second Continental Congress to replace Peyton Randolph, the former president of Congress, who is now presiding over the Virginia House of Burgesses. Jefferson attends the Virginia House of Burgesses until his departure for Philadelphia in mid-June.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)3/27/17756/15/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJYoun23Youngest Virginia Delegate to the Second Continental CongressJefferson arrives in Philadelphia as the youngest Virginia delegate to the second Continental Congress. Other Virginia delegates are George Washington, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Harrison, Richard Henry Lee, and Edmund Pendleton. Jefferson is accompanied by Jupiter (d. 1800), his slave and personal servant since his school days at the College of William and Mary. Jefferson takes up residence on Chestnut Street, has a special writing desk made, and purchases a Windsor chair to go with it.<br />Philadelphia, PA<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)6/20/17756050yesquare_orange.pnghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Liberty_Bell_2008.jpgTony the Misfit on Flickr
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TJA De24A Declaration of the Causes & Necessity for Taking Up ArmsJefferson drafts an address entitled "A Declaration of the Causes & Necessity for Taking Up Arms." Jefferson modifies some of the arguments he made in 1774 in A Summary View of the Rights of British America. <br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)6/15/17757/15/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJResp25Response to Proposal for ReconciliationJefferson drafts resolutions in response to British minister Lord North's proposal for reconciliation.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)7/15/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJAnno26Annotates Benjamin Franklin's draft of the Articles of ConfederationJefferson copies out and annotates Benjamin Franklin's draft of the Articles of Confederation, the governing document of the Continental Congress.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)6/15/17757/15/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJThe 27The Cost of a War with Great BritainJefferson makes calculations on the cost of a war with Great Britain, possibly taking notes from ongoing work in Congress. His calculations show that a six-month conflict would cost approximately three million dollars. <br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)6/15/17757/15/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJJeff28Jefferson Attends the ConventionHaving returned to Virginia, Jefferson attends the Convention, a common form of interim state government in the early years of the Revolution.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)8/9/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJRetu29Return to PhiladelphiaJefferson returns to Philadelphia. He serves on several Congressional committees, among which are the Committee on Currency, the Committee on the Business of Congress, and committees addressing petitions and disputes.<br />Philadelphia, PA<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)10/1/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJThe 30The Exchange of Ethan AllenJefferson proposes a resolution in Congress calling for the exchange of Ethan Allen, captured by the British at Montreal. He also drafts a declaration in January 1776 on the British treatment of Allen.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)12/2/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJRetu31Return to Monticello Jefferson returns to Monticello.<br />Albemarle County, VA<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)12/15/17756050yesquare_orange.png
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TJ"Alt32"Alternative" History of the ColoniesJefferson writes an "alternative" history of the colonies elaborating on what he wrote in 1774 in A Summary View of the Rights of British America. To show that the original English colonists saw themselves as independent of King and Parliament, he draws on Richard Hakluyt's The Principal Navigations Voyages Traffiques & Discoveries Made by Sea or Overland to the Remote & Farthest Distant Quarters of the Earth...., first published in London, 1598-1600. <br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)1/15/17766050yesquare_orange.png
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TJJane33Jane Randolph Jefferson dies Jefferson's mother, Jane Randolph Jefferson, dies.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)3/31/17766080yehalfcircle_black.png
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TJSeco34Second Continetal CongressJefferson arrives back in Philadelphia to attend the second Continental Congress. He remains until September. Richard Henry Lee attends with Jefferson, but former Virginia delegates Edmund Pendleton and Patrick Henry remain in Virginia to attend the state Constitutional Convention.<br />Philadelphia, PA<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)5/14/17766050yesquare_orange.png
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TJVirg35Virginia Convention and Draft of a ConstitutionThe Virginia Convention appoints a committee to draft a constitution.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)5/15/17766050yesquare_orange.png
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TJThe 36The House of Jacob GraffJefferson moves to a new residence, the house of Jacob Graff, on the corner of Market and 7th Streets, farther out from the city center. He takes his writing desk and Windsor chair with him.<br />Philadelphia, PA<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)5/23/17766050yesquare_orange.png
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TJDraf37Drafts a constitution for VAJefferson writes several drafts of a constitution for Virginia, although he is not a member of the committee assigned to do so. He envisions a popularly-elected assembly and a senate drawn from among the assembly's members. Senators will serve for life, though Jefferson later amends this to nine years. In Jefferson's draft constitution, the royal governor is reduced to an administrator serving a one-year term. Among the proposed reforms are an independent judiciary, the extension of suffrage, the gradual abolition of slavery, the appropriation of unsettled western land as freeholds to independent farmers, and fewer obstacles to the naturalization of immigrants.<br />Time period: The American Revolution (1774-1783)5/15/17766/15/17766050yesquare_orange.png
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TJDraf38Drafts the DeclarationCongress appoints a committee to draft the declaration of independence in anticipation of the approval of Richard Henry Lee's resolution. The committee includes Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. The committee prevails on Jefferson to draft the document.6/7/17766090yequote.png
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TJCong39Congressional Appointment; RefusalCongress appoints Jefferson a commissioner to represent the United States abroad with Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane. But on October 11, Jefferson writes to John Hancock, declining the appointment. He returns to Virginia where he serves in the House of Delegates.9/26/17766050yesquare_orange.png
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TJBirt40Birth of a SonJefferson's son is born.5/28/17776080yehalfcircle_white.png
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TJDeat41Death of a SonJefferson's son, born May 28, dies at the age of three weeks.6/14/17776080yehalfcircle_black.png
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TJBirt42Birth of PollyMary (Polly) Jefferson is born.8/1/17786080yehalfcircle_white.png
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TJElec43Election as Governor Jefferson is elected governor of Virginia for a one-year term.6/1/17796050yesquare_orange.png
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TJRe-e44Re-electionJefferson is re-elected governor of VA.6/2/17806050yesquare_orange.png
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