Thomas Jefferson, sometimes called the «silent member» of the Continental Congress, spoke a lot with his pen. He drafted the Declaration of Independence at age 33 and later succeeded Benjamin Franklin as America’s Foreign Secretary to France.

During his first term as President, Thomas Jefferson nearly doubled the size of the United States when his administration successfully completed the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and commissioned the Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore new territory. The recent Journey to the West nickel series issued by the United States Mint commemorated the bicentennial of these important events.

At the end of his presidency, Jefferson retired to Monticello, where he worked to establish the University of Virginia in nearby Charlottesville. In March 1825, the school opened and accepted its first 123 students.

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