We all know that today is to celebrate the Declaration of our independence. But here are a few facts you may not know about its author and be even more impressed with him for the struggles he endured.
Before 1776, Thomas Jefferson had five daughters and one son. All of them but one died before reaching the age of three.
And in 1776, Jefferson’s mother died. His wife, Martha, wouldn’t live until the end of the Revolutionary War, dying in 1782. At the age of only 33.
In the midst of all this tragedy, he wrote the best break up letter in history, our Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s version meant ALL men are created equal including all races. But, the Continental Congress deleted one-third of his proposed Declaration as the official document including the renunciation of slavery that Jefferson, Madison, and Washington wanted (and knew to be necessary for freedom to be meaningful).
Jefferson freed all of his slaves upon his death. Yes, all men are imperfect but the Founding Fathers were as visionary a group of people in the history of civilization. And you and I get to celebrate that today.
Happy Declaration of Independence Day, my friends!
(And I hope the bots that have been leaving comments in Russian eat their hearts out.)