Born in Virginia in 1743, Thomas Jefferson was a true Renaissance man whose fervent intellectual curiosity and political idealism led him on a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and truth. A lanky, auburn-haired member of the Continental Congress when he drafted the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson lacked the fiery oratory eloquence of congressional colleagues such as fellow Virginian Patrick Henry. But he was peerless when putting words to paper. As ambassador to France after the Revolution and as George Washington's secretary of state, Jefferson ardently supported states' rights and vehemently opposed the formation of a strong central government. This put him in direct conflict with other nation-builders such as Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. They were Federalists, Jefferson a staunch Democratic-Republican. He served reluctantly as vice president under John Adams, then defeated Adams in the presidential election of 1800. As the nation's third president, Jefferson slashed the national debt and acquired the vast Louisiana Territory from France. In 1809, he retired to his beloved Monticello, the Virginia estate he designed and built in stages between 1770 and 1809. Both he and political rival John Adams died on July 4, 1826 — the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Created to mark Jefferson's 250th Birthday, the Thomas Jefferson Commemorative Set honors one of America's most illustrious founding fathers.