Page 63 - All About History - Issue 34-16

Hero or Villain?
THOMAS JEFFERSON

Jefferson was interested in
science and natural history, as the
equipment in this portrait shows

Jefferson drafted the Declaration of
Jefferson (in red) presents a draft of the Independence with help from four others,
Declaration of Independence to Congress including John Adams and Benjamin Franklin

constructed by Alexander Hamilton. It was a tribes to the west, encouraging them to give up their Rumours also abounded that Jefferson was in a
deliberate strategy, named the ‘Revolution of 1800’ traditional nomadic lifestyle and culture. If this did long-term relationship with one of his own slaves,
by Jefferson, and helped the Republicans become not succeed, he was willing to use force: “If ever Sally Hemings, and had fathered several children
the pre-eminent force in the land. Jeffersonian we are constrained to lift the hatchet against any by her. DNA evidence suggests this claim is likely
Republicans would dominate national politics for tribe, we will never lay it down until that tribe is to be true, although the proof is not conclusive. The
the next 25 years under Jefferson and his two exterminated, or driven beyond the Mississippi.” relationship probably began after the early death of
successors, James Madison and James Although Jefferson never went as far as Jefferson’s wife, when she was aged just 33, possibly
Monroe, while the once dominant waging war against the Native Americans, when Jefferson was minister to France and Hemings
Federalists faded away. his ideas signalled a questionable travelled there with Jefferson’s daughter.
However, the Jefferson attitude to other races that has been Jefferson embarked on 17 years of political
administration was not When the used against him by modern retirement after leaving the White House in 1809,
without its problems. original Library critics. It’s a similar case in the although he kept busy – befitting his interest in
His first vice-president, of Congress burned subject most commonly used to education and learning, he helped to found the
Aaron Burr, was a thorn censure Jefferson – slavery. University of Virginia. He died on 4 July 1826, 50
in his side, going as far down, Jefferson offered Jefferson was one of the years to the day that his greatest achievement, the
as mortally wounding his personal library biggest slaveholders in Virginia, Declaration of Independence, was ratified. However,
Alexander Hamilton in a as a replacement owning more than 600 people Jefferson was much more than just the author of the
personal duel. When Burr over his lifetime and taking part world’s most famous declaration. He not only helped
fled west and was embroiled in both buying and selling of slaves. to win independence for the American colonies, he
in plots to seize control of US However, Jefferson was a reluctant was a key influence in helping to shape the United
territory, Jefferson wanted Burr to slaveholder. His original draft of the States as it is today and remains an American hero.
feel the full wrath of the law, but the Declaration of Independence included a passage
president was enraged when he was acquitted. that was critical of the slave trade, but it was removed Was Thomas Jefferson a hero or a villain?
A problem of Jefferson’s own making was his by Congress. During his presidency, the international Let us know what you think
attitude to Native American peoples, who were slave trade was banned, stopping the importation of © Corbis,GettyImages
a barrier to his dreams of westward expansion. new slaves from Africa; earlier in his career, Jefferson Facebook Twitter
Jefferson advocated peaceful assimilation with the made attempts to ban it in the Western Territories. /AllAboutHistory @AboutHistoryMag
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