Thomas Jefferson And Slavery

Thomas Jefferson And Slavery

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Thomas Jefferson And Slavery

Thomas Jefferson owned more than 600 African American slaves in his adult life. He was also the third president of the unites states of America. While he was the president, he highly spoke out against the international slave trade, and he even abolished it. Thomson Jefferson how advocated for the gradual colonization of domestic slaves. In 1767, he inherited 5000 acres of land and 52 slaves from his father. He used the resources to build his Monticello plantation.

After marrying Martha Wayles in 1772, he inherited two plantations and 135 slaves from his father-in-law John Wayles. In 1776, Thomson had the largest farm in Virginia but that value depreciated due to many debts. He consequently regarded ta slave trade as moral depravity while continuing to hold humans’ beings like his own property. He also appears to be hypocritical. At Monticello, Jefferson made some directives to end the slave trade while he directed benefited from the slave (Thomson, 2017). Jefferson benefited not only from crops and products from his farm but also from the value of slaves themselves.

Paul Finkelman accused people of their ignorance in understanding the constitution. He had done extensive research on slavery stated that the body was against the slave trade. He added that the constitution had directly and indirectly protected African Americans slaves. Douglas Wilson appears, however, to praise Jefferson for freeing slaves in later. He speaks on how many institutions in America carry his name, praising him for freedom. In some scenarios, Jefferson appears to condemned slavery as he views it as problematic. He also issues some directives to abolish African American slavery, but this was not the case.

Reference.

Thomson, S. L. (2017). Thomas Jefferson, slavery, and the language of the textbook: Addressing problematic representations of race and power. Language Arts Journal of Michigan, 32(2), 5.