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Jefferson learned the art of politics by first serving in the House of Burgesses in Virginia (an early Virginia legislative system similar to what became Congress).  Jefferson was a brilliant writer, having authored perhaps the most famous sentence ever written in the English language (in the Declaration of Independence, 1776):

Jefferson learned the art of politics by first serving in the House of Burgesses in Virginia (an early Virginia legislative system similar to what became Congress).  Jefferson was a brilliant writer, having authored perhaps the most famous sentence ever written in the English language (in the Declaration of Independence, 1776):

{{cquote|We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1776-1785/the-final-text-of-the-declaration-of-independence-july-4-1776.php</ref>}}

{{cquote|We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.<ref>http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1776-1785/the-final-text-of-the-declaration-of-independence-july-4-1776.php</ref>}}

But Jefferson was not a good public speaker, and he avoided speaking whenever possible.  He rarely spoke when he served in the Continental Congress, and when he did speak he expressed anti-religious views that were not shared by others. John Adams wrote about Jefferson:<ref name="Jefferson">http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/Public_Speaking</ref>

But Jefferson was not a good public speaker.  He rarely spoke when he served in the Continental Congress, and when he did speak he expressed anti-religious views that were not shared by others. John Adams wrote about Jefferson:<ref name="Jefferson">http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/Public_Speaking</ref>

:Mr. Jefferson had been now about a Year a Member of Congress, but had attended his Duty in the House but a very small part of the time and when there had never spoken in public: and during the whole Time I satt [''sic''] with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three Sentences together. The most of a Speech he ever made in my hearing was a gross insult on Religion, in one or two Sentences, for which I gave him immediately the Reprehension, which he richly merited.

:Mr. Jefferson had been now about a Year a Member of Congress, but had attended his Duty in the House but a very small part of the time and when there had never spoken in public: and during the whole Time I satt [''sic''] with him in Congress, I never heard him utter three Sentences together. The most of a Speech he ever made in my hearing was a gross insult on Religion, in one or two Sentences, for which I gave him immediately the Reprehension, which he richly merited.

When Jefferson took office, he refused to pay the salaries of some of these "midnight judges" appointed by Adams.  This led to the famous court case of ''Marbury v. Madison'' (1803), where the Supreme Court held in Jefferson's favor by declaring a provision of the Judiciary Act to be unconstitutional.  This was the first time that the Supreme Court held a federal law to be unconstitutional, but since then the Supreme Court has held many federal laws to be unconstitutional.

When Jefferson took office, he refused to pay the salaries of some of these "midnight judges" appointed by Adams.  This led to the famous court case of ''Marbury v. Madison'' (1803), where the Supreme Court held in Jefferson's favor by declaring a provision of the Judiciary Act to be unconstitutional.  This was the first time that the Supreme Court held a federal law to be unconstitutional, but since then the Supreme Court has held many federal laws to be unconstitutional.

== Jefferson Administration ==

== Jefferson Administration ==