How Did Thomas Jefferson Contribute To Education

Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 and passed away in July of 1826 at the age of 83 in his home located near Charlottesville, Virginia. He was a leading figure in America’s early development. Jefferson was a scholarly man which later would prove to be beneficial as he drafted the U.S. Declaration of Independence. He was also the nation’s first secretary of state, second vice president (1797-1801), and the third president (1801-1809). Jefferson also served in the Virginia legislature, Congress, and was governor of Virginia. Later he served as U.S. minister to France. Jefferson’s first term in the presidency proved to be successful but his second term was more difficult and less productive. During his terms in office as president his most significant achievement was the Louisiana Purchase. By doing so he doubled the size of the nation by acquiring land that stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and the Gulf of Mexico to present-day Canada. He arranged an expedition, now known as the Corps of Discovery, which provided …show more content…
He was a firm believer in the value of education. He believed that government depended on the ability of citizens to make intelligent decisions. Jefferson proposed a school system of three steps, elementary school where children would learn reading, math, geography and writing. The second step would be college which is equivalent to high schools today and the third would be a State University where students would hopefully become lawyers, doctors, scientists, and government leaders. Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia and was involved with the design and curriculum and made sure the school had no religious affiliation or requirements for its students. Natural history also intrigued him as he embraced science which enabled him to invent the plow, construct a barometer, wind gage and thermometer, and duplicate the writing