Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, and passed away on July 4, 1826.  Principal author of the Declaration of Independence (signed on July 4, 1776), he went on to serve as George Washington's Secretary of State, and later as the third president of the United States of America (1801-1809).   An avid Enlightenment thinker, Jefferson was a strong proponent of republicanism and freedom of religious thought. Click here to enlarge.