Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. However, he was much more than that. He was a Founding Father and a great man. Born in Virginia to a very rich family in high social standing, he was later known as the silent member of Congress and spoke with his pen rather than his mouth. (Biography of Thomas Jefferson) Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, served as President, Vice President, George Washington’s Secretary of State, and funded and oversaw the building of the University of Virginia.