Final answer:
Thomas Jefferson was an influential founding father who drafted the Declaration of Independence and served as the third President of the United States.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Jefferson, born in 1743 in Virginia, held multiple distinguished positions and played pivotal roles in shaping United States history. A Virginia planter and politician, Jefferson initially served as a delegate to the House of Burgesses and the First and Second Continental Congress. His most significant contribution was drafting the Declaration of Independence, asserting the colonies' right to self-governance and expressing the Enlightenment ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as inalienable rights.
Jefferson's influence extended beyond the Declaration; he became the U.S. Minister to France, the first Secretary of State under George Washington and later served as Vice-President under John Adams. As a prominent leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, Jefferson was elected as the third President of the United States. His presidency is noted for achievements like the Louisiana Purchase and his support for exploration, exemplified by commissioning the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Throughout his life, Jefferson grappled with the issue of slavery. As a planter, he owned slaves, yet as an Enlightenment thinker, he recognized its moral conflicts and hoped for gradual emancipation. Jefferson's death on July 4, 1826, coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, sealing his legacy as one of the founding fathers of the United States.