Here's a quick overview of our top stories for Monday, April 13, 2026:
Watch the latest weather forecast
TOP HEADLINES:
Not just the rider: How bucking horses share the spotlight and the score
Pope Leo says he does not fear Trump, citing the Gospel as he pushes back in feud over Iran war
Engine failure forces Sheehy emergency landing
Oil prices surge after Trump orders blockade of Strait of Hormuz
THAT’S INTERESTING:
Here are some historical facts about Thomas Jefferson on his birthday (April 13, 1743):
Personal & Early Life
- Birthday Calendar Change: Jefferson was actually born on April 2, 1743, according to the Julian calendar then in use, but when the Gregorian calendar was adopted in 1752, his birthday became April 13th
- Inherited Slavery at 14: When his father Peter Jefferson died, young Thomas inherited about 30 enslaved people along with the family plantation
- Studied Away from Home: From age 9, Jefferson lived with tutors away from home, studying Latin, Greek, French, mathematics, history, and science
Intellectual Pursuits & Achievements
- Voracious Reader: Jefferson owned a library of 6,500 volumes, which he sold to the Library of Congress after the British ransacked it during the War of 1812. Despite needing the money to pay debts, he immediately started buying more books
- Prolific Writer: The Library of Congress houses about 27,000 Jefferson documents, including extensive correspondence with key historical figures
- Polymath: He was an accomplished architect, inventor, scientist, linguist, archaeologist, and farmer who redesigned the plow and was among the first Americans to use crop rotation
Political Legacy
- Youngest Delegate: At age 33, Jefferson was one of the youngest delegates to the Second Continental Congress
- Louisiana Purchase: He orchestrated what's considered one of the greatest real estate deals in history, doubling the size of the United States for about $15 million
- Peaceful Transfer of Power: His 1801 inauguration marked the first peaceful transfer of power between opposing political parties in U.S. history
Quirky Personal Details
- Casual Dresser: Jefferson was known for his informal attire and once nearly created an international incident by receiving the British ambassador while wearing casual clothes and slippers
- Game Player: He loved playing chess and taught his grandchildren a board game called "Goose" (similar to Chutes and Ladders)
- Secret White House Design Contest: As Secretary of State, Jefferson secretly entered a contest to design the White House—and lost
Complex Legacy
- Paradoxical Views on Freedom: While writing "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson owned over 600 enslaved people during his lifetime
- Relationship with Sally Hemings: DNA testing in 1998 confirmed that Jefferson fathered at least six children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman at Monticello
Remarkable Death
- Died on July 4, 1826: In an extraordinary coincidence, Jefferson died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—the same day as his friend and fellow Founding Father John Adams
Jefferson chose his own epitaph, which notably omitted his presidency: "Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia."
Parts of this story were adapted for this platform with AI assistance. Our editorial team verifies all reporting across all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
