Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was one of the American Founding Fathers who represented Virginia  during the American Revolution in Continental Congress.

Jefferson strongly supported ideologies of individuality, democracy, and republicanism all of which are still strongly upheld by modern day Americans. He started off as a farmer in a very isolated region which taught him the values of self-help thus learning how people can govern themselves.

It was clear from an early age Jefferson was destined to be an intellect as at just 24 he became a circuit lawyer for an agency of the supreme court of Virginia. He worked on a number of law suits to help the fight for freedom upon enslavement and also help reform slavery anyway he could. In one particular case he argued that, "everyone comes into the world with a right to his own person and using it at his own will... this is what is called personal liberty, and is given him by the author of nature, because it is necessary for his own sustenance". This statement shows the exact qualities that a moral American should have, and also depicts a different identity; one of kindness and care to other human beings by doing right by man. Furthermore, this argument is in fact added into the Declaration of Independence, something that he in the end became a principle author of. 

Although Jefferson was never directly fighting in the war he was very much a thinker and used his words as a fight for independence and clearly stated the only reason the colonists are still with England is due to their discretionary allegiance with the crown. Moreover, he focused increasingly on creating a better country and making the most of this 'new world' by continuing to campaign for democratic reform and religious freedoms in the new state government.