Thomas Jefferson was a Founding Father and the third president of the United States, serving from 1801 to 1809. A prolific writer and philosopher, Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. His political philosophy formed the basis for Jeffersonian democracy, which dominated early American politics alongside federalism. Jefferson remains celebrated as an icon of American political values, but is also controversial for being a lifelong slave owner. April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826; died at 83. Alive at the same time as Charles Darwin, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Ludwig van Beethoven, Immanuel Kant, and Abraham Lincoln. Wiki link