American Sphinx | Characters & Character Analysis

American Sphinx Important People

Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson was born in Albemarle Country, Virginia in 1743 and died in 1826. Little is known of his early life, since a fire in Shadwell, Virginia destroyed all records. He was the third president of the United States. In Jefferson's appearance, as in his character, it is hard to separate man from myth. He was slender and tall for his time, at 6'2". He had reddish or ginger hair and thin, freckled skin that seemed to hold a perpetual flush. His face was thin, with eyes that were apparently hazel, although many later portraits depict them as piercing blue.

Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary in 1760. He studied law in Williamsburg under George Wythe. After being an apprentice for five years, he set up his own small practice. By all accounts, he was an able legal scholar and a poor speaker. In 1768, Jefferson began to build...
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