Who was Thomas Jefferson as a man? First of all, he was a devoted husband to Martha. When she died, he was almost inconsolable.

Second, unlike most of his peers, he never joined the military. Instead, he focused on governing and became the governor of his beloved Virginia. When the British set their sights on capturing him, he escaped, which did not put him in good stead with the public. Yet, he managed to continue with his career and ultimately help shape the new country.

Jefferson was selected to be one of five men tasked with writing the Declaration of Independence. As many writers know, having their work edited and altered is an affront to their work. However, Jefferson managed to deal with the scrutiny that came with writing the document. And when it came to the Constitution, he was not the author but insisted on the Bill of Rights — and especially the First Amendment guaranteeing the right of free speech, free religion and a free press.

Viewers will discover a dichotomy within this man of history. He possessed enslaved people but was ambivalent about the state of slavery. People today must realize that times were different back then, yet many knew enslaving people was the wrong thing to do. Jefferson had a difficult time and wrestled with this issue throughout his life. He was a man of vision yet blinded by the issue of free labor, aka enslaved people.

The issue of slavery is front and center throughout the three nights of this series. Jefferson’s relationship with Sally Hemings is closely scrutinized, as is his relationship with the children he had with her.

Jefferson’s time as an American diplomat in France, his time as the third president of the United States and his retirement from public duty are all part of this series that looks at the various aspects of his public career. The Louisiana Purchase and the task of surveying the country by Lewis and Clark are all thanks to Jefferson.

As he progressed through life and through his career in public service, Jefferson’s views and attitudes changed, as did his relationship with John Adams. And, as people who studied history know, their estrangement was resolved near the end of their lives as they corresponded by letters and reached the understanding that they could be friends and disagree on issues. Interestingly, they both died on the same day — the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America.

Through discussions with historians who have studied the life and times of Jefferson, this docuseries is a deep dive into the man of Monticello. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation gave the History Channel access to the estate Jefferson designed and built, and redesigned and rebuilt over and over. He wanted it to be perfect, and visitors to Monticello can see how he lived and his vision for this now-historic site.

When he died, he was at peace with his part in the birth of this new nation. He was also in debt, but that did not bother him. So, to see this man as he maneuvered through his 83 years is not only an education in American history but also an insight into one of the men who forged this nation and wrote one of the best documents in the history of mankind.

The U.S. would not be the same without some of his most famous words: “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.”

“Thomas Jefferson” will premiere Monday on Presidents Day and will continue for three consecutive nights with two episodes per night. This enlightening series brings up Jefferson’s flaws and virtues. There is no doubt he helped shape the country, and without Jefferson the Declaration of Independence would probably be quite different than it is.

“Thomas Jefferson” is the first docuseries in the History Channel’s “History Honors 250,” which will focus on people, innovations, heroes and achievements that have made this country what it is.

Each episode will stream the next day on the History Channel app, at history.com and across major TV providers’ video-on-demand platforms. You can also watch it ad free by downloading to own on Amazon Prime Video or wherever you purchase the series.