Thomas Jeffersons Contradictions

The Jefferson Contradiction

Thomas Jefferson one of the most controversial presidents in our history. The 3rd president of our United States and the author of our Declaration of Independence. Controversial impartly due to him fathering children with a young enslaved girl name Sally Hemmings. To start with his contradictions on the ability to consider a person of color equal to him he compares them to an animal but still unjustly engages in fathering children with an enslave human. The regard that is shown between one of a mutual respect of two people who have conceded to a relationship sets the premise up for all of his other contradictions regarding slavery.

He pens in his Notes on the State of Virginia that Blacks are inferior to Whites based on several reasons. Much of them seem like a derision of examples and also justification of why the black slave is more equipped to handle slavery than a white man. Jefferson details that blacks can handle harsher weather climates as well also depicting how African Americans live their daily lives. This is his justification that blacks are more apt for working longer hours in the sun, rain, shine, sleet or snow. Detailing that black men are possessive of their women and they mourn for brief periods of time. I beg to wonder if thinking that Jefferson would both smell just as bad as his slaves if he provided for them proper hygienic supplies to not smell foul as he states the slaves do. Mourning was typically done quickly and not on the lands of the Masters family but buried further out away from the property, typically in unmarked graves. Mourning was also done on the slaves own personal time which was typically after their 14-18-hour work day in the sun in which slaves would gather to bury and remember the loss of their loved one. The next day would have been business as usual. Slaves weren’t allowed to mourn, hence their swift mourning process. European beauty was the standard of what you could compare above all things. To consider that if the enslaved men and women were able to properly care for themselves then perhaps they wouldn’t smell of stench worthy odor and appear more attractive. They would have capabilities to take care of their hair and skin., most of these privileges that Jefferson had he did nothing more than likely deny his slaves with soap and much more that contributed to their physical, mental conditions. Jefferson has this notion that blacks are magical that they have been equipped to work long hours, stay up all night, wake up at the break of light and repeat the routines. Jefferson can not see that his treatment to slaves no matter how well he treats them or takes care of them, conditions he listed is due to the fact that they are enslaved and they can’t thrive as the whites do. My undeniable opinion is that blacks are forced beneath the hand of white superiority. They don’t have the luxury to be pampered all day like Jefferson. Blacks aren’t allowed to have any thought for anything other than picking cotton, and tending to all of the masters needs. Left with no resources they are deduced to the similarity of a robot. Train and or programmed. Consider how a robot is programmed and controlled, why would the enslaved thrive in all areas of their life. He critics Phillis Wheatley poetry buying saying that she is not a real poet, she is made only poet based on her religion. Considering the enslave are human they are then sold from their families and left with other slaves around to form their own kindred ship. Jefferson states how overjoyed the enslaved are to make friends, when one in Jefferson position he lacks the ability to grasp why the slaves are eager to find solace when they have been separated from their families. He doesn’t recognize that they are people. He deduces them to animals. Jefferson never the less deduces slaves to animals but he has fathered 6 children with a slave woman name Sally Hemmings. So in respect Jefferson was correct, blacks were inferior to whites only because white deduced them to that very nature. They had no choice but to be inferior. Only in certain circumstances were they of equal stature to Europeans.

As was Phillis Wheatley she was educated, accomplished and love for her
poetry. she was thus accomplished that her pen granted her freedom.
This disproves Jefferson notion that blacks were incapable of just being
told what to do. When given the proper resources African Americans are
able to excel past their capabilities above their white peers.

A refined man name Benjamin Banneker, challenged Thomas Jefferson intellect on what inferiority is and if it even exists in his eyes. Banneker an accomplished mathematician, scientist, and, author, inventor challenged Jefferson contradictions of slavery in a letter. In the letter, Banneker, referred to Jefferson as a revolutionary, and ask him the slavery he abhorred in his own personal freedoms, how could Jefferson be involved in an institution that did the same as had been done to Banneker’s ancestors. Banneker was hopeful that perhaps his letter would convict Jefferson philosophy on slavery and make some social changes for African Americans. Jefferson responds to Banneker’s letter and he acknowledges there is a problem within the institution of slavery and what kind of rights slaves should have. Never the less, Jefferson never address his own personal situation within it, him being a slave owner himself. Jefferson was thankful for the letter, but ignored Banneker’s request. Fascinated, Jefferson sent Banneker’s almanac to the sectary of science in France. Spoken eloquently Banneker countered Jefferson’s thoughts on Blacks being inferior to whites. Whether he fully recognized it or not. Banneker disproved, Jefferson by being self-educating himself, he was an accomplished mathematician, scientist and author and inventor. This provide that Jefferson simple mindedness to acknowledge that African Americans were not able to self-educated themselves but they were able to over excel in all areas of life if given the chance, rights and freedoms that Jefferson held so dearly to his heart.