April
13, 1743
Born
at Shadwell, Albermarle County, Virginia, eldest son to Peter and Jane
Randolph Jefferson
1745
Jefferson
family moves fifty miles from Shadwell to take up residence at Tuckahoe
1752
Jefferson
family returns to Shadwell; Jefferson takes up classical languages under
care of Scottish Reverend William Douglas
1754
Peter
Jefferson accedes to the Virginia House of Burgesses as a representative
of Albermarle County
August
17, 1757
Peter
Jefferson dies at age forty-nine, leaving young Jefferson as family
patriarch
March
1760
Enters
College of William and Mary at Williamsburg, Virginia; befriends Patrick
Henry
March
1762
Graduates
from the College of William and Mary
April
25, 1762
Begins
study of law in Williamsburg under George Wythe
1763
Begins
dining in the company of Williamsburg's leading intellectuals
1764
Begins
to keep a regular reading journal
October
1, 1765
Eldest
sister Jane dies at age twenty-five
May
1766
Travels
to New York, stopping at Annapolis and Philadelphia en route
February
12, 1767
Receives
first legal fee after handling case in General Court of Virginia
May
18, 1768
Begins
to clear land for construction of Monticello
April
3, 1769
Accedes
to House of Burgesses as representative of Albermarle County, like his
father before him
May
17, 1769
The
Baron de Botetourt dissolves the House of Burgesses after growing dissent
against royal policies
Summer
1769
Begins
to focus reading more exclusively on theories of government
February
1, 1770
Shadwell
estate burns, destroying most of Jefferson's documents and possessions
November
26, 1771
Moves
into temporary quarters at Monticello while new estate is completed
January
1, 1772
Marries
Martha Wayles Skelton
September
27, 1772
Eldest
daughter Martha Washington Jefferson born at Monticello
March
12, 1773
Earl
of Dunmore dissolves the House of Burgesses after Jefferson calls for more
autonomous rule
May
16, 1773
Dabney
Carr dies, leaving six children to the Jefferson family
May 30, 1773
John
Wayles dies, leaving Jefferson considerable debts, lands, and slaves
October
1773
Jefferson
appointed surveyor of Albermarle County
April
3, 1774
Second
daughter Jane Randolph Jefferson born at Monticello
May
26, 1774
Earl
of Dunmore dissolves House of Burgesses again after further rumblings of
protest against colonial rule
June
1, 1774
Day
of fasting proclaimed throughout Virginia in protest over the terms of the
Boston Port Act
July
26, 1774
Jefferson
drafts Albermarle Resolutions, specifying format for First Virginia
Convention
August
1774
Jefferson
publishes A Summary View of the Rights of British America
March
23, 1775
Patrick
Henry delivers "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech at
Second Virginia Convention
March
29 1775
Named
alternate to Second Continental Congress
April
19, 1775
Revolutionary
War begins with Battles of Lexington and Concord
June
8, 1775
Earl
of Dunmore flees Virginia, throwing British rule there into question
June
11, 1775
Jefferson
leaves Willamsburg for Philadelphia to attend Second Continental Congress
June
21, 1775
Attends
first session of Second Continental Congress
June
26, 1775
Contributes
to adopted resolution "An Address on the Causes of Taking Up
Arms"
August
1775
Congress
adjourns; Jefferson returns to Virginia to attend convention there
August
23, 1775
King
George III declares colonies to be in open rebellion against Great Britain
September
1775
Second
daughter Jane Randolph Jefferson dies at age three
September
26, 1775
Appointed
commander of Albermarle militia
September
30, 1775
Returns
to Philadelphia for re-adjournment of Second Continental Congress
Autumn
1775
Loyalist
raids on Virginia organized by Earl of Dunmore begin
January
20, 1776
Thomas
Paine publishes Common Sense
March
31, 1776
Mother
Jane Randolph Jefferson dies at age fifty-seven
May
14, 1776
Returns to Philadelphia after five-month absence
May
15, 1776
Congress resolves to form its own government
May
27, 1776
Jefferson
begins drafting a constitution for the state of Virginia
June
7, 1776
Richard
Henry Lee introduces resolution to declare independence and form a
confederation with foreign alliances
June
11, 1776
Jefferson
appointed to committee to prepare Declaration of Independence
June
20, 1776
Jefferson
appointed to another year's term in Congress
June
28, 1776
Declaration
of Independence presented to Congress
June
29, 1776
Virginia
Convention accepts constitution and forms first state government
July 2, 1776
Congress
approves resolution to declare independence
July
4, 1776
Congress accepts Declaration of Independence
September
2, 1776
Jefferson
resigns from Congress due to wife's illness
September
30, 1776
Appointed
to negotiate diplomatic treaties with France but declines due to wife's
illness
November
5, 1776
Appointed
to revise Virginia's existing laws in committee
May
20, 1776
Leaves Virginia Assembly due to wife's illness
May
28, 1776
Eldest
son born unnamed and dies two weeks later
October
30, 1776
Returns
to Virginia Assembly
August
1, 1778
Third
daughter Maria Jefferson born
February
1779
Together
with James Madison, Edmund Pendleton and George Wythe, Jefferson finishes
revisions of Virginia laws
June
1, 1779
Jefferson
elected governor of Virginia
June
1780
Befriends
young James Monroe
November
3, 1780
Fourth
daughter Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson born
December
1780
Virginia
Assembly votes to cede northwestern holdings to United States
January
5, 1781
Capture
of Benedict Arnold at Richmond
April
15, 1781
Lucy
Elizabeth Jefferson dies in infancy
June
2, 1781
Second
term as governor ends, Jefferson steps down from office
June
4, 1781
Narrowly
escapes capture when British cavalry arrives at Monticello moments after
his departure
June
1781
Lord
Cornwallis occupies and lays waste to one of Jefferson's plantations
June
30, 1781
Jefferson
falls from a horse and is incapacitated for six weeks
October
19, 1781
Surrender
of Cornwallis at Yorktown brings end to fighting in Revolutionary War
December
19, 1781
Investigative
committee in Virginia Assembly brings charges against Jefferson's record
as governor; all accusations defeated and Jefferson cleared; Jefferson
announces intention to retire from public life
May
8, 1782
Fifth
daughter, also named Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson, born
September
6, 1782
Jefferson's
wife Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson dies at age thirty-three
November
12, 1782
Appointed
peace commissioner to help negotiate Treaty of Paris
December
19, 1782
Leaves
Monticello for Philadelphia in preparation to travel for England; trip
later aborted after delayed and then deemed unnecessary
June
6, 1783
Jefferson
elected to Congress
September
3, 1783
Treaty
of Paris signed between America and England, officially ending
Revolutionary War
March
12, 1784
Elected
chairman of Congress and effective head of United States Government
April
1784
Writes
Notes on the Establishment of a Money Unit and Coinage for the United
States
May
7, 1784
Appointed
to serve as foreign minister based in Paris
May-June
1784
Tours New England with daughter Martha
June-August
1784
Sails
for Paris with daughter Martha
August
6, 1784
Arrives
in Paris
November
17, 1784
Youngest
daughter, the second Lucy Elizabeth, dies
March
10, 1785
Jefferson
appointed chief minister to France
January
16, 1786
Virginia
Assembly adopts Jefferson's Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom
March
1, 1786
Jefferson
and John Adams make unsuccessful attempt to negotiate trade treaties with
England
February-June
1787
Makes
tour of southern France and northern Italy
July
29, 1787
Other
remaining daughter, Maria, joins Jefferson and daughter Martha in Paris
October
12, 1787
Re-elected
minister to France for a three-year term
July
2, 1788
The
Constitution of the United States is declared ratified
April
30, 1789
George
Washington and John Adams inaugurated President and Vice President,
respectively, in New York
July
14, 1789
Bastille
Day; French Revolution begins
September
26, 1789
Appointed
Secretary of State
October
22, 1789
Jefferson departs from Paris for a leave of absence in the United
States
November
23, 1789
Docks
at Norfolk, Virginia and learns of his appointment as Secretary of State
February
23, 1790
Daughter
Martha married to Thomas Mann Randolph in ceremony at Monticello
March
22, 1790
Sworn
in as Secretary of State in New York
July
16, 1790
With
Jefferson's encouragement per the Assumption Plan, President Washington
arranges for shift of national capital from New York via Philadelphia to
present-day Washington, D.C.
February
1791
Debates
constitutionality of National Bank with Alexander Hamilton
May
1791
Makes
tour of Connecticut, New York, and Vermont to drum up political support
December
15, 1791
Bill
of Rights adopted
August
26, 1792
Washington
writes Jefferson and Hamilton in an attempt to reconcile their differences
September
9, 1792
Jefferson
announces plan to retire at the end of Washington's first term
October
1, 1792
Jefferson
visits Washington at Mount Vernon
October
20, 1792
Washington
places control of U.S. mint under Jefferson
January
21, 1793
King
Louis XVI executed by guillotine
March
4, 1793
Washington
and Adams re-inaugurated
April
19, 1793
Jefferson
urges that United States maintain alliance with France in the course of
various European wars
December
31, 1793
Jefferson
formally resigns his position as Secretary of State
January
5, 1794
Returns from Philadelphia to Monticello
January
31, 1795
Hamilton
resigns as Secretary of Treasury
February
1796
Jefferson's
campaign for President launched by Democratic-Republican supporters
including James Madison
September
19, 1796
Washington's
Farewell Address reprinted
February
9, 1797
Loses
presidential election narrowly to Adams; named Vice President
March
4, 1797
Adams
and Jefferson inaugurated at Philadelphia
March
10, 1797
Named president of American Philosophical Society
October
13, 1797
Youngest
daughter Maria married to John Wayles Eppes in ceremony at Monticello
December
12, 1797
Returns
to Philadelphia after five month absence to preside over Senate
January
8, 1798
Eleventh
Amendment ratified
April
1798
XYZ
Affair erupts
April
1798
Jefferson
correctly suspects Federalists of tampering with his mail
June
25, 1798
Congress
passes Alien Act, giving President Adams power to deport any threatening
alien
June-December
1798
Jefferson
returns to Monticello for summer and autumn
July
7, 1798
Congress
repeals 1778 alliance with France
July
14, 1798
Congress
passes Sedition Act, calling for imprisonment of all dissidents
August
1798
Protests
held across country against Alien and Sedition Acts
September
1798
Jefferson
secretly drafts Kentucky Resolutions in protest of Alien and Sedition Acts
November
16, 1798
Kentucky
legislature passes Jefferson's resolutions
December
21, 1798
Madison's
more moderate Virginia Resolutions, also in protest of the Alien and
Sedition Acts, passed by Virginia Assembly
March-December
1799
Jefferson
spends nine months at Monticello though continuing in role as Vice
President
December
14, 1799
Washington dies at Mount Vernon
May
11, 1800
Democratic-Republican
caucus establishes first national platform and nominates Jefferson and
Aaron Burr for President and Vice President, respectively
May-November
1800
Returns
to Monticello
June
30, 1800
Rumors
of Jefferson's death spread after false report by Baltimore newspaper
September
30, 1800
Convention of 1800 signed in Paris diffuses military tension with
France
November
27, 1800
Arrives
in new capital at Washington, D.C. for first time
December
28, 1800
Electoral
returns reveal a tie between Burr and Jefferson
January
31, 1801
John
Marshall named Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
February
11, 1801
House
of Representatives convenes to break tie between Burr and Jefferson
February
17, 1801
Jefferson
named President on thirty-sixth ballot
March
4, 1801
Jefferson
and Burr inaugurated at Washington
May
14, 1801
Tripoli
declares war on the United States
December
8, 1801
Submits
first annual message to Congress
February
6, 1802
Congress declares war on Tripoli
April
6, 1802
All
internal taxes abolished
May
2, 1802
U.S.
Patent Office organized
July
4, 1802
U.S.
Military Academy opens in West Point, New York
August
1802
Morocco
declares war on the United States
November
3, 1802
Jefferson
meets with Chief Handsome Lake to discuss native policy
February
24, 1803
Supreme
Court establishes judicial review in Marbury v Madison
April
30, 1803
Robert
Livingston and James Monroe secure the purchase of the Louisiana Territory
for the United States from France
December
12, 1803
Twelfth
Amendment proposed to the several states
December
20, 1803
The
United States takes formal possession of the Louisiana Territory
February
25, 1804
Jefferson
re-nominated for President
April
17, 1804
Maria Jefferson dies at Monticello
May
14, 1804
Lewis and Clark begin their exploration of the Louisiana Territory
July
11, 1804
Vice
President Burr fatally wounds Alexander Hamilton in a duel
November
1804
Jefferson
re-elected by the several states with George Clinton as new vice
presidential candidate
March
4, 1805
Re-inaugurated
at Washington with Clinton
June
4, 1805
Peace
treaty with Tripoli signed; treaty with Morocco shortly thereafter ends
Barbary Wars
January 17, 1806
Jefferson's
grandson, James Madison Randolph, born at the White House
March 29, 1806
Congress
authorizes construction of Cumberland Road to Ohio
April
15, 1806
Non-Importation
Act prohibits traffic with British manufactures effective
September
23, 1806
Lewis
and Clark return to St. Louis after reaching the Pacific coast
November
25, 1806
In
response to a coup plot by Burr, Jefferson declares martial law in New
Orleans
December
6, 1806
Non-Importation
Act against Britain delayed; enacted six months later
February
1807
Burr
captured while traveling in disguise in Alabama
July 2, 1807
Jefferson
bans British ships from American waters after a series of impressments and
seizures
October
20, 1807
Burr
flees to Europe after being acquitted of treason and misdemeanor charges
by Chief Justice John Marshall
December
22, 1807
Jefferson
signs Embargo Act, declaring American neutrality and non- engagement in
foreign trade
January
1, 1808
The
importation of slaves to the United States prohibited by law
January
23, 1808
Madison
nominated to run for President; Clinton re-nominated for Vice President
March
3, 1809
In
last executive action, Jefferson repeals Embargo and Non-Importation Acts
March
4, 1809
Embargo
Act repealed; Madison and Clinton inaugurated at Washington
March
11, 1809
Jefferson
leaves Washington for the final time
June
18, 1812
Congress
declares war on Great Britain
August
1812
Jefferson
declines suggestions that he run for President again or become Madison's
Secretary of State
November
1812
Madison
re-elected President with Elbridge Gerry as Vice President
August
25, 1814
States
views on slavery in letter to Edward Coles
September
21, 1814
Jefferson
sells thousands of volumes from his personal library to the Library of
Congress
December
24, 1814
Treaty
of Ghent ends War of 1812
November
1816
James
Monroe elected President with Daniel Tompkins as Vice President
January
1819
Virginia
Assembly passes bill providing for establishment of University of Virginia
March
29, 1819
Jefferson
appointed rector, chief executive of the University of Virginia
November
1820
Monroe
and Tompkins re-elected
October
24, 1823
Jefferson
writes to Monroe with ideas that are eventually incorporated in the Monroe
Doctrine
November
1824
John
Quincy Adams elected President with John C. Calhoun as Vice President
April
1, 1825
University
of Virginia officially opens
January
20, 1826
Jefferson
requests special dispensation from Virginia Assembly to sell his property
by lottery in order to pay off significant debts
March
16, 1826
Jefferson
writes his will, providing for manumission of five slaves, including Eston
and Madison Hemings
July
4, 1826
Dies
at Monticello at the age of eighty-three, on the same day as John Adams
January
27, 1827
Jefferson's
belongings sold by auction at Monticello
