The Summary of Hitchen’s Main Arguments
Hitchens talks about Jefferson in four main topical categories: enlightenment, war and revolution, nation-building, and slavery. As per the author’s explanation, the president’s personality is defined in attributes such as a good lawyer, a good librarian, a good farmer, a humane and scientific person. The enlightenment category displays Jefferson as an individual who engaged in various scientific projects, including making some discoveries and doing projects that became useful to the United States (The Film Archives, 2013). For instance, as a governor of Virginia’s state, Jefferson succeeded in abolishing some of the harsh encounters the society was facing by being less retributive but more rehabilitating and more scientific. The author reveals that Jefferson is remembered as the founder of the University of Virginia, and the establisher of Virginian churches, among other concerns. In this video, Hitchens portrays Jefferson as a person with an exciting personality determined to give his followers the best.
Jefferson is among the high profiled people who labored to offer the United States a deserving future. Jefferson was a man of War and Revolution, and through these, the American Society has positively entered its destiny. The talk points out that the leader is among the first personality to stage War and Revolution, considering that he wrote the first revolutionary manifesto. The manifesto was unsuccessful in condemning slavery because of the number of slave traders then, and the pressures of the slavery lovers such as Carolinians and Georgians (The Film Archives, 2013). Still, the leader announced the first democratic revolution, despite the substantial opposition the democrats were facing at that time.
Nevertheless, Jefferson’s work was somewhat fruitful, considering that his effort ensured the term ‘democrat’ influenced society suitably. Through him, the appreciation of human rights became human-centered instead of it being monarchs or bishops related. Jefferson made it clear that rights were properties through which any human can claim. Hitchens reveals that upon becoming a president of the United States, Jefferson declared American’s first war of liberation against the barbarian States (The North African States) (The Film Archives, 2013). The states would make the European countries pay tribute to the Sultans after capturing the sailors around the Mediterranean Sea. Jefferson was a revolutionary president who fought for his people through War and Revolution to liberate them from the Muslim oppressors, the barbaric States.
Jefferson was a determined nation-builder through empowering the native people. The leader’s focus, according to Hitchens, was directed towards gaining control of the Mississippi and making the country a continental power (The Film Archives, 2013). His ascension to the presidential office made the leader acquire Louisiana from the French government. The aim was to earn the country territorial enlargement by obtaining as much land as possible. Additionally, Jefferson made sure the state is healthy by vaccinating his people against smallpox, training them in Agriculture, and empowering them scientifically, among other things. Thus, the leader empowered the country to be science-oriented and agricultural empowered, strived to have a stable military, and had a strong constitution, which define him as a nation builder.
Jefferson conceded to the personal demands of abolishing the slave trade in the country. At Louisiana’s purchase, the American country had doubled in size. Thomas and Joe used this as a completely new chance to convince the president to engage more slaves (The Film Archives, 2013). They also convinced the president to get German immigrants to settle on the land and that he should allow free slaves from other countries to come into the newly acquired Louisiana land, but Jefferson refused. Instead, he utilized the Louisiana land’s enormous size for cash crops and empowered those who would work as slaves to engage in crop sales. In that context, it is agreeable that Jefferson is outlined as a fascinating president with nation-building, enlightenment, war and revolution, and slavery abolition traits and some of his notable achievements.
My Views on Hitchens’ Points
Hitchens’ points are well defined in two main aspects, the cohesiveness, and the historical facets. Hitchens takes viewers through Jefferson’s historical and evidential leadership technique. Through this journey, the reality of the nation’s existence becomes authentic and approves the leader’s capacity. In that context, Hitchens’ points are well elaborate, confidently visualizing Jefferson’s leadership technique. That means the author’s arguments are valid and turgid enough to clarify that which propagated the country to its level and state as it is now.
The Implications for Understanding American History in This Period
It is factual that today’s generations, including the Americans, do not understand their country’s history exhaustively. In that case, the resultant concern is that a lack of a country’s historical storyline causes a country to have a severe educational deficiency. Historical education helps build an individual’s ability to become loyal to a nation. Arguably, such happens because citizens’ shared common aspirations and experiences help strengthen patriotism concerns. Sharing the historical journey in this period makes people become intelligent voters who make good choices, viewing that voters’ sound decision depends on the current problem’s link to past knowledge. That means countries with stable decision-makers are intelligent historically and make an excellent ridge to a more affluent country, mentally. That explains that teaching American history empowers a nation in terms of decision-making criteria and makes them loyal to their country. Thus, history should not be ignored to whichever capacity, as the subject adds value to a country’s citizens.
Reference
The Film Archives. (2013). Christopher Hitchens on Thomas Jefferson: Influence on the revolution & Louisiana purchase (2006)[Video]. YouTube. Web.