Thomas Jefferson: The Greatest American President

THOMAS JEFFERSON AS THE GREATEST AMERICAN PRESIDENT
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Between 1788 to 1860, America was ruled by fourteen elected presidents, all of whom are famous in history for their contribution to the development and progress of American society on all fronts. Despite the fact that George Washington was one of the founding fathers and the first U.S. president, the contribution of Thomas Jefferson stands out amongst all the fourteen presidents of this particular era. Despite being one of the founding fathers and co-author of the Declaration of Independence, his multifarious skills as a philosopher, scientist, naturalist, and spiritual godfather significantly contributed to his popularity even amongst modern historians. Thomas Jefferson's role in drafting and enforcing the Bill of Religious Freedom even before his election as the president ingrained his status as the champion of civil liberty in the history of the United States. Furthermore, during his presidency, he made several decisions that proved significantly crucial for the long-term progress and development of American society, including The Louisiana Purchase, which ensured the survival of the Republican government. In the wake of these facts, the following paragraph provides circumstantial and concrete evidence to establish that Thomas Jefferson was the most popular president among other presidents that ruled in the given timeframe.[Finkelman, Paul. "Thomas Jefferson and antislavery: The myth goes on." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 102, no. 2 (1994): 193-228.]
Thomas Jefferson ruled America from 1801 to 1809, and on account of his remarkable achievements, many scholars equate him with his very renowned successor: Abraham Lincoln. According to one scholar, in terms of contribution to the United States, Jefferson stands ahead of Lincoln as, despite Lincoln's immense contribution to the end of slavery, Jefferson did much more to reinforce the democratic foundation of the country. For instance, in 1792, he founded the Republican Party: the most popular political party in the history of the United States that has been bolstering democratic norms ever since its inception. Moreover, his contribution and personal interest in establishing the University of Virginia that earned him the title of "the Father of Virginia University" also reflects his interest in educating the populace. Other than establishing a university in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson also advocated and proposed a uniform education system to educate the general public. These historical facts reveal his political doctrine based on the finest democratic ideals that envisioned American society as an educated, pluralistic, and democratic one.[Finkelman, p. 193] [Ibid]
Another notable contribution toward establishing a pluralistic and democratic American society was his hatred of religious intolerance. One of the outcomes of his efforts to establish religious tolerance in American society was the drafting and enforcement of the famous Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom that the Virginia General Assembly duly approved on January 16, 1876. This bill was a significant development for American society as it heralded final approval of the protection of religi...