THOMAS JEFFERSON & SLAVERY.   Term Paper ID:25495 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Examines origins, cultural influences & evolution of Founding Father's views on race, slavery, equality, legal & political aspects.... More...

7 Pages / 1575 Words 9 sources, 16 Citations, APA Format $28.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Examines origins, cultural influences & evolution of Founding Father's views on race, slavery, equality, legal & political aspects. Paper Introduction: Thomas Jefferson was both a social conservative and a racist. Raised in an environment where slaveholding was the norm, Jefferson’s exposure to African-Americans was largely limited to blacks in bondage, and he formulated his racial philosophy based almost solely on this experience. Granted, the question of the morality of slavery weighed on Jefferson’s mind throughout most of his adult life, and he periodically made attempts to prohibit the slave trade or even emancipate slaves. However, Jefferson clearly considered African-Americans inferior, and his crusade for emancipation entailed the deportation of manumitted slaves. Jefferson could not envision a society in which blacks and whites could live together as equals. Jefferson grew up in colonial Virginia, where slaves Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Jefferson envisioned that emancipation and deportationwould take place in a slow process, without resorting to force as was thecase of the Spanish expulsion of the Moors. Miller, John. Jefferson's own racial prejudice is clearly evident in his writingsabout the characteristics of slaves. In Notes he offers a list of abilitiesor talents in which he judged blacks to be superior, equal, or inferior towhites. But this may perhaps proceed from a want of forethought,which prevents their seeing a danger till it be present. As aslaveholder, Jefferson treated black as commodities and maintained tightcontrol over them. Much of Jefferson's assumptions about blacks were based onobservations of those enslaved on his plantation. Although Jeffersonharbored extremely negative attitudes toward blacks, he got Bannekerappointed surveyor in the District of Columbia, where the new federalcapital was to be built. Raisedin an environment where slaveholding was the norm, Jefferson's exposure toAfrican-Americans was largely limited to blacks in bondage, and heformulated his racial philosophy based almost solely on this experience.Granted, the question of the morality of slavery weighed on Jefferson'smind throughout most of his adult life, and he periodically made attemptsto prohibit the slave trade or even emancipate slaves. (1984) "Miscellany." In Thomas Jefferson:Writings. We Have Been Believers. Thus the prohibition againstthe slave trade did not result in much progress toward abolition. Jefferson believed that blacks were incapable of the higheremotions, "They are more ardent after their female: but love seems withthem to be more an eager desire, than a tender delicate mixture ofsentiment and sensation. Throughout his life, Jefferson periodically tried to do somethingslavery albeit he never really pushed the issue. Jefferson believed that economicswould eventually play the leading role in the emancipation of slaves, aswould the inevitability of slave revolts, "The value of the slave is everyday lessening; his burden on his master daily increasing. (1984). Jefferson's father carved outa vast estate by acquiring both land and slaves: "Slaves were ubiquitous inthe society in which Jefferson was reared and in which he came to hismajority" (Miller 2). It never occurred toJefferson that the emotions he perceived were a part of a coping strategyfor blacks. In reply, Jeffersonwrote, "No body wishes more than I do to see such proofs as you exhibit,that nature has given to our black brethren, talents equal to those of theother colors of men, and that the appearance of want of them is owningmerely to the degraded condition of their existence" (Jefferson 982).Despite the warm reception he gave Banneker, Jefferson continued to beskeptical of black intellectual achievement and, like most of his whitecontemporaries, believed that distinguished blacks possessed a healthyportion of white blood in them, which accounted for their relativesuperiority. Also in 1776, in the Virginia Assembly, Jefferson brought in a billto end the importation of slaves. Holdinghis own wife's half sisters and half brothers in slavery may haveinfluenced some of Jefferson's public views on slavery. In describing the poetryof Wheatley, Jefferson writes, "The compositions published under her nameare below the dignity of criticism" (Jefferson 267). (Two years later Virginia enacted thatban.) In the same year, working on the revision of Virginia's laws,Jefferson proposed the emancipation of all slaves born after 18 , with thefreed people to be educated and colonized at public expense. When present,they do not go through it with more coolness or steadiness than the whites"(Jefferson 265). He believed that blacks were, in allprobability, incapable of great achievement in intellectual pursuits likemathematics, science, and literature: "in imagination they are dull,tasteless, and anomalous . However, Jeffersonclearly considered African-Americans inferior, and his crusade foremancipation entailed the deportation of manumitted slaves. Though the practice was widespread,planters almost never admitted to cohabiting with their slaves: "Mulattochildren were usually attributed to overseers, white indentured servants,and poor whites" (Miller 163). Congressleft it to the individual states to enforce the prohibition, which greatlydiluted its effectiveness. . (1977). Many slave owners made slave women their mistresses, and Jeffersonappears to have been no exception. Cited in Dumas Malone Jefferson thePresident. He sets forth his views on blackinferiority in a publication entitled Notes on the State of Virginia.Jefferson attempted to apply the scientific methods of his time to thestudy of African-Americans. In his autobiographyhe writes, "The clause too, reprobating the enslaving the inhabitants ofAfrica, was struck out in complaisance to South Carolina and Georgia . Often only allowed to express their emotions through religion,black music sometimes functioned as a form of secret communication: "Theywere compelled to find a language that would unmistakably express theirhopes for a reversal in their fortunes and at the same time conceal thatmessage form the slaveowners" (Evans 146). His wordsand actions proved his sincere desire to destroy slavery, but he did notbelieve that blacks and whites could coexist in society. ThusJefferson failed to do the right thing at critical moments in his politicalcareer, missing the opportunity to leave a legacy as a champion of humanrights. In his will,Jefferson freed five slaves, all of which were offspring of Sally Hemings,but did not free Sally herself, perhaps out of fear that doing so wouldhave lent credence to Callender's accusation. Jefferson held seemingly conflicting ideas about slavery. Minneapolis:Fortress Press. The areas that had too many slave wanted to cut off importation sothat they could sell their surplus slaves. Halfway through Jefferson's firstpresidential administration a Scottish journalist, James Callender, spreadthe story that Jefferson had secretly fathered a large illegitimate familywith one of his slaves, Sally Hemmings. He habituallycoupled discussions of emancipation with deportation, "the two races,equally free, cannot live in the same government. During his second term in office, Jefferson recommended that theslave trade be abolished, and congress adopted his proposal. Jefferson, Thomas. Being only ayouth when his father passed away, Jefferson had to wait until he reachedthe age of inheritance to become the owner of several thousand acres ofland and more than 2 slaves. "Tom and Sally and Frank andMe." American Heritage, 82. He believed that some differences betweenblacks and whites were due to environment, but that others were based oninherent, biological differences. References Evans, Jr., James. In 177 , he argued incourt for the freedom of a third-generation mulatto. Thomas Jefferson was both a humane and practical man who publiclycondemned slavery yet benefited from it throughout his lifetime. The book,however, found its way across the continent to America, where it wastreated as a great contribution to human knowledge. "Letters." In Thomas Jefferson: Writings.New York: Library of America, 7 9-1518. (1984). (1999, January). Jefferson grew up in colonial Virginia, where slaves supported theeconomy of the region's tobacco plantations. Jefferson knew that Virginians would notlike to hear that their minds and hearts were being poisoned by slavery.He feared that what he said would only anger white Southerners and makethem more resistant to emancipation. Admitting that more research was needed, he proposed tentativelythat African-Americans were superior to whites in music and equal to themin courage, memory, adventurousness, and moral sense, abut was guarded evenin these assessments of equality: "They are at least as brave, and moreadventuresome. Only SouthCarolina still permitted the entry of slaves from outside the UnitedStates. Jefferson made no response to theallegations and generally, Republicans did not believe the Hemmings story.Recent DNA analysis, however, reveals positive that Jefferson fathered atleast one of Sally's sons: "The failing of the study, which compared only Ychromosomes taken from unbroken chains of male descendants from both sides,of course leave out of the question who fathered Sally's daughters, who asfemales had no Y chromosome to pass along" (Truscott 163). "Autobiography." In Thomas Jefferson:Writings. Irony prevails in that Jefferson, who was accused by Callender ofleading a life of decadence at Monticello, accuses black of decadentsensuality. In 1776, drafting the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson hadtried to link the political rights of Americans with the personal rights ofslaves, but the Continental Congress had deleted the clause. (1992). Later, when Jefferson married, he becameexecutor of his father-in-law's sizeable estate, and the slaves passed onto Martha Jefferson allegedly included many who were her half sisters andhalf brothers: "By the time he wrote the Declaration of Independence he hadbecome, by inheritance, purchase, and marriage, one of the principalslaveowners and one of the wealthiest men in Virginia" (Miller 2). Jefferson was only one of two Americans who responded.Jefferson's reply, more than 3 pages, represented his social philosophy.In 1781, Jefferson finished a draft and sent it to Marbois, but spent thenext few years improving and enlarging the work before allowing it to beprinted in Paris and circulated among friends for comment. never yet could I find a black had uttered athought above the level of plain narration; never see even an elementarytrait of painting or sculpture" (Jefferson 266). New York: Library of America, 123-326. Jeffersoncould not envision a society in which blacks and whites could live togetheras equals. Nevertheless, Jefferson was uncomfortable with theinstitution of slavery, especially the foreign slave trade. It is still in ourpower to direct the process of emancipation and deportation peaceably"(Jefferson 44). Interest istherefore preparing the disposition to be just; and this will be goadedfrom time to time by insurrectionary spirit of the slaves" (Jefferson 542). New York: Library of America, 567-7 8. Jefferson attempted to win his caseby asserting the natural right to freedom, "under the law of nature, allmen are born free, and every one comes into the world with a right to hisown person, which includes the liberty of moving and using it at his ownwill" (Miller 5). "Notes on the State of Virginia." InThomas Jefferson: Writings. The Wolf by the Ears: Thomas Jefferson andSlavery. The employment void that wasleft by the deported blacks would be filled by white laborers. New York: Free Press. Jefferson freely wrote of his opinions on blacks in Notes because henever really intended to have his thoughts published in his home country.(In 178 , Monsieur Marbois, secretary to the French minister to America,sent prominent Americans a list of twenty-two questions (regardingpopulation, natural resources, government, law, religion, etc.) in order togather information about the new nation that might be helpful to theFrench. . New York: Library of America, 1-1 2. Although he admitted that slavery, and lack of opportunityand education had robbed African-Americans of many of their abilities,Jefferson was of the opinion that certain elements of black inferiority hadnothing to do with their environment. The court rejected Jefferson's plea. To Jefferson's credit, he freely voices his dislike for theinstitution of slavery in Notes. Truscott, IV, Lucian. Other than the prohibition on theslave trade, Jefferson was silent about the general issues of slavery andemancipation during his administration. Jefferson, Thomas. Thomas Jefferson was both a social conservative and a racist. Behind theirapproval was the fact that even with the quick spread of cotton plantationsthere was a surplus, not a shortage of slaves in the country. Jefferson, Thomas. As a socialconservative, however, he was apt to retreat from public pressure when hispersonal views on the abolition of slavery met with opposition. Slaves could not afford to dwellon emotions like love and grief because families were so often torn apartby the unrelenting circumstances of slavery. Banneker had sent Jefferson the manuscript of anastronomical study he prepared, as proof that such qualities andcapabilities were not limited to the white race. Their griefs are transient" (Jefferson 265). Jefferson, convinced that slavery would neverbe abolished in his lifetime, was content to leave the matter in God'shands, "we must await with patience the workings of an overrulingprovidence, and hope that that is preparing the deliverance of these, oursuffering brethren" (Jefferson 592). New York: Little, Brown. He bought and sold slaves when his financial needsdictated, justifying his actions by his beliefs about the inherentinferiority of blacks. (1984). Young Jefferson inherited a share of the family'slands, livestock, and slaves when the elder Jefferson died. Virginia lawspecifically stated that the offspring of a white women and a black mancould go free after serving for thirty years, but did not give the sameprivilege to offspring of mulattoes. . Jefferson, Thomas. Jefferson argued that nature had created a hierarchy among thevarious races. (1974). Jeffersonbelieved strongly in education as a means of preparing citizens to meet thedemands of democracy: "As for public education, one of its principalpurposes, according to Jefferson, was to develop the independent reason ofchildren so that when they matured they could make independent rationaljudgements on what was best for the state" (Jayne 27). "Jefferson's Philosophical Wall ofSeparation." The Humanist, 27. Nature, habit, opinionhas drawn indelible lines of distinction between them. (1999, February). Of theseveral hundred slaves Jefferson owned during his lifetime he liberatedonly a few, and even bought several more during his presidency. .Our Northern brethren also I believe felt a little tender under thosecensures" (Jefferson 18). Jefferson'sattempts at limiting slavery by any means were opposed in Virginia, partlybecause slavery was so firmly rooted in racial prejudice there. Jefferson, Thomas. This deletiondoes not seem to have caused Jefferson any distress. Jefferson was exposed to the achievements of black intellectuals likeBenjamin Banneker or Phillis Wheatley but either downplayed theiraccomplishments or considered them aberrations. Jayne, Allen. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

Many of our Papers can be Downloaded From This Site!

PLEASE READ THIS, IT IS IMPORTANT!

Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). You may place orders for custom research over the phone during office hours. E-mail requests can be made to our graduate and undergraduate department any time, and will be reviewed during office hours. You may also contact customer service any time through e-mail, and we will review your message during business hours. A great many papers can be downloaded right from this site, but not all of them. If you would like to know if a particular paper is downloadable, just look in the description for: "Available for Internet Download: Y" or "Available for Internet Download: N" If you wish to purchase a paper which is NOT available for immediate download, you will need to make other shipping arrangements. Also, please be aware that these orders are processed Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm (PST). If you place your order after 4:45pm on Friday, it will not be processed until the following Monday morning. We charge $8 per page for all of our pre-written reports, plus shipping (and tax for California residents). However, the highest cost of any ONE report is $136, or 17 pages. Please, take a moment. Make sure you have chosen the report you want or need BEFORE you complete your order. If you are not sure, allow us to help you. We do not offer refunds or exchanges, so it is important for you to let us answer your questions during office hours. Reports which are e-mailed or downloaded are in Microsoft Word format. We are making more reports available for e-mail delivery faster than we can update our listings. Please call to check on the status of particular reports. There are many other shipping options which are listed on the Checkout page.