Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was a man who was thought to be great. He was a talented, skillful writer. He wrote an autobiography. He even wrote one of the greatest documents in American history: The Declaration of Independence. However, Jefferson was not what he is thought to be. Jefferson had destroyed political traditions. From his oppositions and shortcoming his principles, Jefferson smashed the political standard and is, therefore, a hypocrite.

When Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he included in his first draft that “all men were created equal,” including slaves. This part on slavery had to be omitted because the Americans did not treat slaves as equals. He also says; “each man has certain god given rights.” Jefferson had always struggled with this because even though he was entirely against slavery and tried to abolish it in the west, he owned slaves and become conscious of their value to the southern economy.

Jefferson lived from 1743 until 1826. His father died when he was fourteen years old. He did not have a good relationship with his mother, when his father died he said that he did not have anyone who cared for him in this world. He grew up with his best friend who always took him to the top of a big hill now called Monticello. Jefferson built his house at the top and when his friend died, he was buried there.

Jefferson was exceedingly hypocritical in the issue of slavery. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves yet was outspoken in saying that slavery was immoral and it should be abolished. He had a mansion with a plantation where slaves worked. He called his slaves his children. As a matter of fact, He had affairs with his slaves. Thomas Jefferson was against slavery his whole life, yet he never freed his own slaves. Jefferson vehemently opposed slavery, even though he was, without a doubt, a slave owner himself.

Thomas Jefferson says it himself in his autobiography that he does not want slaves:

“In 1769, I became a member of the legislature by the choice of the county in which I live, & continued in that until it was closed by the revolution. I made one effort in that body for the permission of the emancipation of slaves, which was rejected: and indeed, during the regal government, nothing liberal could expect success.” (Avalon Autobiography)

Jefferson says that although he has tried to “emancipate” or free the slaves the government rejected his cause. Jefferson also says that he wants to end the tax on owning more than a certain amount of slaves. This shows that Jefferson owned more slaves than that amount and was sick of paying the tax. He did not free the slaves because he needed them. This is a known fact because he says the following in his autobiography: “…but now it is said that the labor of the slave is the dearest.”(Avalon)