Thomas Jefferson is recognized as one of the most influential personalities in United States history, who is well known around the world for penning the Declaration of Independence. At the same time, there are also controversies concerning Jefferson’s biography, and one of the main ones is the ownership of slaves. Nevertheless, it is wrong to consider Jefferson’s participation in slavery as a fact that invalidates Jefferson’s pro-independence activity, such as the Declaration of Independence.
Although Jefferson had slaves, he actually undertook considerable efforts to prohibit the practice in the country. Specifically, Jefferson presented his Report on the Government for the Western Territory, which implied abolishing slavery, yet the provision did not receive enough votes (Jacobus 16). Such a fact demonstrates commitment of Jefferson to the prohibition of slave ownership even in a time when such an idea was uncommon. Additionally, with the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson set the foundation for the abolition of slavery in the future. For instance, he included the phrase about all men being created equal in the writing, which he borrowed from the French philosopher Rousseau (Jacobus 17). Although during Jefferson’s time, the phrase was understood as implying white men only, later, it began to refer to people of all genders and races. Additionally, there is evidence that proves that Jefferson was not racist, namely, his romantic relationship with a woman of mixed race (Jacobus 16). Thus, the claim that Jefferson’s participation in slavery invalidates his writing of the Declaration of Independence is not justified considering the efforts of the politician to abolish the practice.
The fact that Thomas Jefferson owned slaves does not constitute a sufficient factor that negates the importance of the Declaration of Independence. Personally, Jefferson opposed the institution of slavery and attempted to prohibit it with his Report on the Government for the Western Territory. Moreover, the Declaration of Independence laid the groundwork for the future decision of the U.S. government to abolish slavery.
Work Cited
Jacobus, Lee A. A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers.10th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016.