Thomas Jefferson: Did He Live up to His Beliefs?
Yael Weitzner
Thomas Jefferson did not fully live up to his beliefs, to the extent of the Louisiana purchase and the issue on slaves.Thomas Jefferson was a simple man, a federalist, whose beliefs included strict construction of the constitution, and that all men are created equal. Despite the fact the Jefferson built schools in order to give the poor equal rights, he went against his beliefs surrounding slavery. In Document 2, Jefferson states
“Black men are pests”. He is saying that Black people are incapable of being as successful as whites, which directly contradicts his beliefs. Also, after he realized he wouldn’t be able to change the rules on slavery, he kept his slaves on his plantation.
Document 4 suggests that “Jefferson’s slaves were his property”. Both Documents 4 and 5 talk about Jefferson’s grant of freedom to seven slaves. It talks about a slave which he had an affair with, and her children, who were all given freedom. He only granted freedom to very few slaves, which proves he did not live up to his beliefs. The
Louisiana purchase was directed by a loose construction of the constitution, contrary to
Jefferson’s beliefs. It says in Document 6, “ Nowhere in the constitution could Jefferson find mention of the purchase of land from foreign powers.” Presidents do not have this right to purchase such lands, yet Jefferson thought it wasn’t beyond his rights given in the constitution. Although Document 7 says that Jefferson kept the country out of national debt, which was one of his ideals, many acts and decisions that he made contradicted his beliefs. Jefferson’s decisions surrounding slaves and the Louisiana purchase proves he did not live up to his ideals as president.
Thomas Jefferson did not fully live up to his beliefs, to the extent of the Louisiana purchase and the issue on slaves.Thomas Jefferson was a simple man, a federalist, whose beliefs included strict construction of the constitution, and that all men are created equal. Despite the fact the Jefferson built schools in order to give the poor equal rights, he went against his beliefs surrounding slavery. In Document 2, Jefferson states
“Black men are pests”. He is saying that Black people are incapable of being as successful as whites, which directly contradicts his beliefs. Also, after he realized he wouldn’t be able to change the rules on slavery, he kept his slaves on his plantation.
Document 4 suggests that “Jefferson’s slaves were his property”. Both Documents 4 and 5 talk about Jefferson’s grant of freedom to seven slaves. It talks about a slave which he had an affair with, and her children, who were all given freedom. He only granted freedom to very few slaves, which proves he did not live up to his beliefs. The
Louisiana purchase was directed by a loose construction of the constitution, contrary to
Jefferson’s beliefs. It says in Document 6, “ Nowhere in the constitution could Jefferson find mention of the purchase of land from foreign powers.” Presidents do not have this right to purchase such lands, yet Jefferson thought it wasn’t beyond his rights given in the constitution. Although Document 7 says that Jefferson kept the country out of national debt, which was one of his ideals, many acts and decisions that he made contradicted his beliefs. Jefferson’s decisions surrounding slaves and the Louisiana purchase proves he did not live up to his ideals as president.