Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson had a reputation as a brilliant thinker and writer. He was asked by John Adams to write the Declaration of Independence. For the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson borrowed ideas from English philosopher John Locke. Locke wrote that all people were born with certain natural rights to life, liberty and property; that people formed governments to protect these rights; and that a government interfering with those rights could be overthrown. He also served as the second President of the Unit