Thomas Jefferson and Slavery

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how Thomas Jefferson, who was considered a champion of equality, could have been a slave owner himself. It discusses Jefferson's unacknowledged relationship with his slave, Sally Hemmings and its implications. The paper describes the history of slavery in the United States and discusses whether new revelations about Jefferson's private life should affect how we view his acknowledged achievements.

From the Paper:

"This was not a failing particular to Jefferson, and the Constitution produced by the Founding Fathers similarly views equality as limited to certain elements in society. It is possible to see the system that was created as unjust in many respects, largely excluding women and giving more power to those with property than those without, though it is also apparent that the system has tended toward increased justice over time and has done so precisely because the Constitution set forth important principles of justice and equality and provided the mechanisms for assuring that the people could gain more protections over time. Justice is defined here as the promotion of equality, the assurance of freedom, and the maintenance of order as a way of assuring that freedom and not for its own sake."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "All the Presidents' Women." New Straits Times (February 16, 1998), September 8, 2006. http://archives.emedia.com.my/bin/main.exe?f=doc&state=7o5191.4.9.
• Jankovic, Jelena. "Speaker Sheds Light on Jefferson Affair at U. Connecticut." University Wire (February 23, 1999). September 9, 2006. http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc3.asp?DOCID=1P1:20533721&ctrlInfo=Round20%3AProd%3ADOC%3AResult&ao=.
• Lewis, Richard. "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: All Men Are Created Equal: Thomas Jefferson and the Issue of Slavery." September 9, 2006. http://geocities.com/richag90/jefferson.html?20067.
• Noel, Franklin L. "Jefferson's Other Alleged 'Incorrectness.'" Minneapolis Star Tribune (August 29, 1998), 23A.

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