Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson's books combined with his father's created a wonderful learning environment. "His personal library was probably the best in America" (Patterson 12). His father also left Thomas thirty slaves and more than 2,500 acres of land that he would receive when he turned twenty-one (Patterson 15).
             Jefferson learned to read ancient Greek and Latin stories as a teenager (15-17). In 1760, Thomas Jefferson went to college at the College of William and Mary. At this time he was not interested in politics. He loved to read day and night. When he turned nineteen he studied law under George Wythe. When Wythe died, he left Thomas his books because he knew how much Thomas loved reading. Thomas also ordered many books to add to his library which grew rapidly. Besides admiring books, he began to admire Rebecca Burwell. Due to his shyness, he never built up the courage to tell her how he felt and she eventually married someone else. He let love go for a little while and traveled outside Virginia for the first time in his life. He became licensed to practice law in Virginia at the age of twenty two (18-20). This was his start to a life of legal practice and politics.
             Jefferson began to erect Monticello, the mansion which he lived most of his life in, on land his father had left for him. During the creation of his house, he married Martha Wayles .
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             Skelton on January 1, 1772. "For the first two years of his marriage, Jefferson was busy with family matters, his law practice, and the building of Monticello" (Patterson 27). When her father died about a year and a half after their marriage, Skelton inherited 11,000 acres of land and one-hundred and thirty-five slaves. Jefferson had to pay more attention to his land now, so there was less time for his legal practice.