The American Declaration of Independence, penned mostly by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, is a beloved document and symbol of freedom in the hearts and minds of Americans. The iconic, tripartite “slogan” of this document is the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” And while this is for many the most memorable phrase in the document, the actual content focuses much more on the abuses and injuries of King George III than on these inalienable rights. In fact, Jefferson lists twenty seven specific abuses of King George III compared to the three listed inalienable rights. The question then arises, why does Jefferson parse his argument for independence in such a way? This essay seeks to show that Jefferson chose to focus on the abuse rather than ideology because of his own personal beliefs about eugenics and to engage his actual audience (the American people more than George III). Also included is a discussion of the Criticism of the Declaration of Independence (hereafter just Criticism) and its attempts at undermining the Declaration.
Thomas Jefferson, while an educated statement and eloquent writer, was also a typical white slave owner. He typically kept 200 slaves on his lands both at his Monticello home and on his Albemarle plantation. Unlike some enlightened thinkers of his time, Jefferson did not manumit his slaves for the sake of his ideals. He freed only a few, and all were in the family of his lover, Sally Hemings. Being a prolific and good writer, Jefferson’s views on many subjects are well documented to this day. In a letter to John Adams, Jefferson makes known his view on heredity: “For experience proves, that the moral and physical qualities of man, whether good or evil, are transmissible in a certain de...
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... man because of his beliefs about eugenics and the audience for his work. The small space given to a discussion of inalienable rights could be completely excised from the document and more cause than needed would remain to justify America’s rebellion from her colonial ruler and thus any argument focusing on this portion is not valid. An analogous invalid argument would be contesting the price of a purchase by saying the phone number listed on the receipt was incorrect and thus the entire purchase should be free. The phone number could be left off entirely and the price, and thus the debt of the purchaser, remains. The phone number is included for an alternate purpose, namely to give the purchaser a way to contact the merchant. In the same way, the statements on the rights of man are included to inspire the audience rather than fully justify the war against England.
Thomas Jefferson was a slave holder and the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence. Many will assume he was a racist and pro-slavery, but unless one were to look deeper into why Jefferson would even own slaves, this assumption is very believable. I would say Thomas Jefferson was a hypocrite, but he was justified hypocrite. As I think about why would Jefferson would want the abolishing of slaves, but on the other hand own slaves, it seems a bit hypocritical, but we must take a moment and really think was his hypocrisy justifiable? During this era nearly every successful white man owned slaves, so why would Jefferson not own them himself? Slaves were not just considered property, but they had valuable characteristics about them. They
The slave owners used these falsified scientific differences to justify what they were doing. Due to the belief that the African Americans secreted less from the kidnies and had altered glands, “ this greater degree of transpiration, renders them more tolerant of heat, and less so of cold than whites” (Jefferson 763). Jefferson believed that the glands were altered in African Americans allowing them to be more tolerant of heat, which reiterated the point that they were meant to work outdoors in the fields. If society believed they were altered to work in the fields, it allowed them feel justified in what they were putting the slaves through. Jefferson stated that African Americans are genetically altered to sleep less, “they seem to require less sleep. A black after hard labour through the day, will be induced by the slightest amusements to sit up till midnight or later, though knowing he must be out with that first dawn of the morning” (764). Jefferson’s claim that slaves truly required less sleep allowed him to deem their long hours on the field as acceptable, because he believed that they didn’t get tired as easily. The scientific facts that Jefferson based his claims on were obviously falsified, but society was still quick in believing what he had
Edmund Morgan, based on his article "Slavery and Freedom: The American Paradox", would agree that Thomas Jefferson was not conscious of his contradicting words and actions being hypocritical. Morgan states "They were all slaveholders and remained so throughout their lives" despite the fact that they were "the most eloquent spokesmen for freedom and equality in the entire United States" (The American Paradox, pg. 6). Jefferson himself stated that "I am miserable, till I shall owe not a shilling" (The American Paradox, pg. 8), which proves his obsession with debt, and that men can only be free if they had land on which to support themselves. Jefferson was also against artificers because "they were the instruments by which the liberties of a country
In “From Notes on the State of Virginia,” Thomas Jefferson includes some proposed alterations to the Virginia Laws and discusses some differences between blacks and whites. First, he describes one of the proposed revisions regarding slavery: All slaves born after the enactment of the alteration will be freed; they will live with their parents till a certain age, then be nurtured at public disbursement and sent out of state to form their own colonies such that intermarrying and conflicts can be avoided between blacks and whites. Next, Jefferson indicates some physical differences between blacks and whites, including skin color, hair, amount of exudates secreted by kidneys and glands, level of transpiration, structure in the pulmonary organ, amount of sleep, and calmness when facing dangers. As he notes, these differences point out that blacks are inferior to whites in terms of their bodies. In addition, Jefferson also asserts that the blacks’ reasoning and imagination are much inferior to the whites’ after he observes some of the art work and writings from the blacks. As a result, based on his observation, he draws a conclusion that whites are superior to blacks in terms of both body and mind. However, Jefferson’s use of hasty generalization, begging the question, and insulting language in his analysis is a huge flaw which ruins the credibility of his argument and offenses his readers.
Jefferson’s language in the Declaration of Independence shows clear influence from Locke and his theory of Life, Liberty, and Property. Locke’s idea of government is one that sets out to protect these rights and once a government becomes more destructive than useful it is the right of the people to dissolve the government and start over from scratch. It can be seen that Jefferson’s view of government, through his criticisms toward the British Parliament, are in direct alignment with Locke’s.
Thomas Jefferson is a well-known and respected man of American History. He was a legislator, president, a father, a spouse, a widow, an inventor, a plantation owner, and a slave owner. Many people fail to acknowledge the fact that, much like his fellow citizens, Jefferson too was a slave owner himself. In his life, he made so many accomplishments and strides of progress in the early days in favor of America, perhaps it is hard or unthinkable for some to believe that he was just an average man of his times. Similarly to many men of the time period, Jefferson also had sexual relations with one of his slaves. This relationship was reflective and consistent with Jefferson's views on slavery which were that of an abolitionist of sorts.
There are many events that have happened in our history that have helped shape our country into what it is today. One of those events that helped change our country was the Decleration of Independance. The Declaration of Independence was written on July 4th, 1776. And this document was written so we were separate from England and so we weren’t under their power anymore. It meant that we were going to become a self-governing country. This was the very first big step we took to become our own country. And if we hadn’t have separated from England we wouldn’t be the country we are today. This helped build our nation and bring us closer together so we were united as one. This is when we realized we could be something bigger than what we were.
“All men are born free and with equal rights, and must always remain free and have equal rights,” (Thomas Jefferson) This is the famous statement made by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. He is being extremely hypocritical here considering he himself owned a near two hundred slaves. The slaves are still owned and treated as ‘property’. Thomas Jefferson did not have care for the slaves. The equalities discussed in the Declaration were not aimed to all men, they were aimed at specific white men. Frederick Douglass a former slave excellently asks in reaction to Jefferson; “Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” What he means by “Us” is African American, it could also mean slave considering he was one. It is just so perfectly put because it is obvious the beliefs of Jefferson were not extended to African American’s or slaves. He continues on rather sarcastically “confess the benefits”, this is important because there was very little benefits. (Frederick Douglass, 1852,
As years have passed novelists and historians have examined the life of Thomas Jefferson to try to figure him out. During the Jeffersonian era, he was looked at as a patriot who was liked by everyone. He seemed as though he had morals because he argued that slavery was a crime and that made him well-liked by Northerners. While Jefferson claimed to be anti-slavery during his time, the fact that he owned slaves, used them for sexual gratification and held the title of the second-largest slaveholder in Virginia would shed a better light on his position towards the issue later on. When Jefferson’s life was taken a deeper look at, it began to be pointed out how contradictory of a man he actually was. This would alter subsequent viewpoints on Thomas
Thomas Jefferson believed that all men were created equal, as he stated in his authorship of the Declaration of Independence. However, he justified slavery by questioning whether or not blacks were complete men. Jefferson’s reason for developing his suspicions of black racial inferiority likely stemmed from the need of labor in the newly formed
The Declaration of Independence is focused for the most part toward King George III and the British Parliament. Jefferson wanted them to understand the reasoning behind the American's decision of independence. From paragraphs 6-32 he lists all the acts of tyranny that King George III forced upon the Americans. The list is longer than all the other parts of the document put together. It demonstrates how much emphasis Jefferson placed on providing reasons. But, this list is not only directed at Jefferson, it is a reminder to all Americans and the whole world of what disturbing times have been overcome in the past.
9. Gordon-Reed, “3 of the 4 children Sally Hemings reared to adulthood lived successfully as white people among other whites, free” (page 285) As historian Herbert Sloan put it, “Jeffersons attitudes toward his debts, his belief that in time things would right themselves, his certainty that, if allowed to do things his way, everything would turn out for the best, had significant consequences for others” (page 631).
Some slave owners argued that slaves would become equal and worthy of natural rights only when they became civilized. For Jefferson, a life-long owner of slaves, this was a much more complex issue (“Natural Rights”).” Jefferson thought that slavery was immoral, and to his credit he denounced the slave trade. Some believe that Jefferson agreed with the Scottish philosopher Francis Hutcheson that all men are born morally equal to one another. In principle, Jefferson opposed slavery, but he saw no way to end the practice once established. He feared that a war of extermination which the whites would win would result from white prejudice and black bitterness. He also feared that if slaves were freed they would have nowhere to go and no means to survive on their own, and also, he and other slave owners depended on slave labor for economic reasons. The best idea Jefferson came up with was to take slave children from their parents and educate them on things such as trade, and once they become adults, they would be transported to a colony where they can start a new life as a “free and independent people.” Nothing ever came of his plan, and slavery remained in America until the end of the Civil War. But even then, the
On July 4th, 1776, America 's most important document in history was announced, "Declaration of Independence". The Declaration of Independence defined America 's prestige, value, and its freedom. It was the document which stated American colonies now did not want to be the part of British property. It is one of the most important days because for the first time in the history of America; it was on its own and stood as a single country. The majority of the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson which was debated by Congress and made many changes in the original document. One of the major changes made by Congress was removing an attack on the institution of slavery.
"Declaration of the Rights of Man - 1789." The Avalon Project. Yale Law School, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.