Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Fachbereich Angewandte Sprach- und Kulturwissenschaft

in Germersheim

Course: `Democratic Vistas′ in American Cultural History

Term Paper: Thomas Jefferson and Slavery

Carina Bernt

Summer term 2008

Contents

1

Introduction ­ historical context and some information about Thomas Jefferson 3

2

Interpretation of selected writings of Thomas Jefferson with regard to slavery 4

2.1

A Summary View of the Rights of British America 4

2.2

Declaration of Independence 5

2.3

Notes on the State of Virginia 6

2.3.1

Query XIV: Laws 6

2.3.2

Query XVIII: Manners 7

2.4

First Inaugural Address 8

2.5

Selected parts of family letters of Thomas Jefferson 9

3

Conclusion ­ inconsistency in Thomas Jefferson′s writings about the issue of slavery.. 10

4

Bibliography 12

2

1 Introduction ­ historical context and some information about Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson can be considered as one of the most important Presidents of the United

States of America.

He was born in 1743 in Virginia and after having been enrolled in The College of Wil-

liam and Mary in Williamsburg, he started his political career at the end of the 1760s. In

1769, Jefferson was elected as a legislator. In 1775, he was one of the delegates at the second

Continental Congress. Four years later, Jefferson became Governor of Virginia. In 1797, he

was elected Vice-President and in 1801, he finally became the third President of the United

States of America (Dumbauld XI-XVI).

Jefferson was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He lived during the time

of revolution and American efforts to reach independence from Great Britain and to establish

democracy in the United States.

During his life, he published many writings on democracy, liberty, and equality. "The

central feature of Jefferson′s political creed was his concern for human freedom." (qtd. in

Dumbauld IX). In 1774, he wrote his first published work

A Summary View of the Rights of

British America.

Two years later, he became famous for writing the main part of the

Declara-

tion of Independence.

Furthermore, he published the book

Notes on the State of Virginia

and

during his presidency, his

First Inaugural Address

was very important. In all these writings,

Jefferson emphasized democracy, liberty and equality, but he had many problems realizing

his concepts, especially with regard to slavery, which became a fundamental problem for Jef-

ferson and in the United States of America in general.

In the following work, Jefferson′s above mentioned writings will be analyzed with re-

gard to slavery and the inconsistency in his writings about the issue of slavery will be demon-

strated. Furthermore, his personal behavior towards bondage will be presented by analyzing

some family letters.

3