Page 61 - All About History - Issue 34-16

THOMAS JEFFERSON

H OR O

VILL IN?

the Declaration of Thomas

Nearly
a quarter of

Independence draft
Je erson
that Jefferson wrote
was removed by
Congress

He wrote the Declaration of Independence, but

did Thomas Jefferson truly believe that all

men are created equal?
Written by Scott Reeves

homas Jefferson’s earliest memory was when, This was to be Jefferson’s finest hour. He was
at the age of two, he was carried in the arms asked to pen the draft that the committee discussed,
of a black slave to his family’s new home – a and in doing so became the primary author of
tobacco plantation. During his childhood, it one of history’s most iconic documents. However,
Twas expected that the young boy would grow Jefferson did not get it all his own way. His original
up to become a typical Virginian slave owner, just draft stated: “We hold these truths to be sacred
like his father, but Thomas was keen to pursue a and undeniable; that all men are created equal and
life beyond the plantation. He loved reading and independent.” It was Benjamin Franklin who rewrote
had a keen interest in science, linguistics and the preamble, changing it to the famous: “We hold
natural history, and it was in law that he would first these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
make his mark, being admitted to the Virginia bar created equal.”
in 1767. The Declaration of Independence was ratified by
It was a time of flux in North America. When the Continental Congress on 4 July 1776, after which
the American Revolution began in 1775, Jefferson Jefferson returned to Virginia and saw out the rest
was appointed a Virginian representative in the of the American Revolution in local government. He
Continental Congress at Philadelphia. He had been supervised the creation of a state constitution and
hand picked by John Adams, an early leader of revised the legal system before becoming governor
the independence movement, to join him on a of Virginia. He was in charge when the British
committee that was tasked with writing a Declaration invaded and sacked the state capital, Richmond, in
of Independence. 1781; Jefferson narrowly escaped being captured by
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