Essay on Biographical Narrative

Jefferson’s core beliefs were to limit the size of the Federal Government. He was a Republican whose vision for America was an Agrarian utopia. Meaning he wanted small agriculture-centered communities to govern themselves as well as the nation. He wanted to stray away from the economic life of urban manufacturing that London was known for. When Jefferson won office, he began to limit Federal power by firing tax collectors, reducing the size of the military, including the navy. Even though Jefferson wanted an Agrarian Republic, he ended up working against himself and even expanded self-manufacturing, industry, small businesses, and even went as far as greatly increasing Federal power more

Thomas Jefferson once said, “When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty.” Thomas Jefferson believed the best government was the one that governs the least . Jefferson stressed how a small government with limited powers is most likely to leave the people alone and have them enjoy the Blessings of Liberty. Furthermore, Thomas Jefferson was a man who had numerous accomplishments in his life. He was the author of the Declaration of Independence, author of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, founder of the University of Virginia, and the third President of the United States. His strict interpretation of the Constitution was due to his belief that the charter was designed to provide the people with a say in governmental affairs. Mr. Jefferson won the approval from the working class because he fought for them and not the powerful interests of the wealthy. Although Jefferson was a vocal and active leader in the rights of states, his recommendation of the Embargo Act and his support of the Non-Intercourse act resulted in his failure as the Commander In Chief.

Some of the abuses he describes are shutting off trade with other parts of the world, quartering troops within the colonies, and forcing colonists to be tried in England. Jefferson and others saw these as a violation the people’s right to choose. It was his dream that men should be able to appoint their own government and vote on all decisions that would affect them.

At some point in a person’s lifetime, whether it be through educational endeavors or everyday conversations regarding political leanings, the name Thomas Jefferson has definitely made an appearance in some aspect. This may be in terms of memorizing each president and their legacy or analyzing how the actions he made in office changed today’s society as whole. As a founding father, secretary of state, vice president, and eventually then a full-fledged president, there is no doubt Jefferson has had an incredulous impact on how the United States was created in its secession from Britain, and even how our government today deals with political matters and new arising issues. Though he has long since been discharged from

What they never knew was that Jefferson would both be respected and detested for his choices as president. Thomas Jefferson, a man divided, responsible for doubling our nation’s property through the Louisiana Purchase. But, he expanded it even further by driving the Indians into debt and forcing them to give him land to pay it off. An advocate for public education and religious freedom, Jefferson also degraded blacks. Additionally, Jefferson caused a disaster in his country in the years of of 1807 and 1809, isolating the United States from trade with Britain and France. This hurt the country and its people tremendously, corrupting the Southern economy. Although Jefferson is admired by his many successes, he is also looked down upon because of his numerous faults and imperfections. With his death on July 4, 1826, Jefferson was a man who is to be unforgotten - maybe because of his accomplishments, or his numerous mistakes that certainly made him

The philosophies of Thomas Jefferson are often at odds with one another. On one hand, he looks to enlightenment ideals and writes of natural rights and equalities for all men in his drafting of the Declaration of Independence (more on Jefferson’s and the Enlightenment can be found here). He also proposes legislature that prohibits the spread of slavery to new states. However, his role as a slave owner contradicts his philosophy on liberty in a profound way. His book Notes on the State of Virginia represents the depth of his thought against black people as an equal race to whites, and he includes a breakdown for the reasons that he believes integration is not a viable alternative to the problem of slavery (the full content can be read half way down the page here). Then, there are the facts surrounding his personal relationship with his slave, Sally Hemings and the children he fathered with her. This contradiction of attitude and philosophy is directly related to Jefferson’s cultural influences having grown up surrounded by slavery as an acceptable way of life. He ultimately falls back on society’s view of black people as inferior to justify his way of life, and calm his fears of the possible violent ramifications of emancipating his slaves (this is a reference to slave revolts). For more on this topic see my complete work here.

Thomas Jefferson was one of the main proponents of a document that spelled out the liberties of the individual. Many of the states would not vote for the Constitution because it omitted a specific Bill of Rights. Seven of the first eleven state constitutions contained a list of individual liberties. The issue took precedent. Especially considering colonists had just fought for their independence from an oppressive British government that failed to acknowledge the rights of the individual. (Janda, Berry, & Goldman, 2012)

States rights were a thing that Jefferson was also very passionate about, as he believed that the central government was strictly meant to handle foreign affairs and that the states were able to govern themselves. Because of this, he strongly opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts, which he believed were a violation of states’ rights. In retaliation, he made the Kentucky Resolutions, limiting federal powers to what they were written in the Constitution. Although Jefferson was an avid supporter of common man, it seemed that he wasn’t as partial towards minority groups like Blacks and Native Americans. Jefferson owned slaves himself and had suggested removing Native Americans from their homes after the Louisiana Purchase.

Thomas Jefferson's ideals and beliefs were derived from a deep regard for life, liberty, and freedom. His concept of individual freedoms strongly disagreed with the notion of a "guided republic" which he believed concentrated a great deal unchecked power among a few people. This could have the potential of tyrannical government that might suppress personal freedoms of any kind especially those of religion, which Jefferson feels very strongly felt should be protected. After fighting hard to rid America of British domination, Jefferson was determined to create a government that was responsible to, and derived its powers from, a free people. As the writer of the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Statute for

Jefferson’s main goal is to acquire the maximum freedom that would allow the country to remain benign and not allow chaos. He had a fear of tyranny and thought in terms of freedom, which could be advantageous to our young country but, if the government is not able to find a balance between law and freedom, could also be his hamartia and cause pandemonium throughout America .

As Christopher Hitchens said,“We make no saint of Thomas Jefferson—we leave the mindless business of canonization and the worship of humans to the fanatics—but aware as we are of his many crimes and contradictions we say with confidence that his memory and example will endure long after the moral pygmies who try to blot out his name have been forgotten.” Jefferson was a great politician, and “beacon of liberty” for the early Americans, but he was also flawed. Sure he’s well known for the aspiring Declaration of Independence, but these flaws, also led him make some choices, that would leave a mark on his impressionable record, and lead to the problems with his presidency.

In the article, “We are All Federalist, All Republicans,” Max Lerner lays out many of Thomas Jefferson's positive attributes, I believe his greatest trait, however, is his ability to be flexible and make decisions according to the specific situation. Jefferson is a man of contradiction in many aspects, a display of his contrarian nature unfolds as he states his preference for a written news publication over government, yet he aggressively attempts to censor publications critical of himself(Lerner). The kind of flip flopping on issues in which Jefferson partakes would make him a modern punching bag in our current political climate, yet his trait of changing positions led to one of the largest legacies of his presidency, The Louisiana Purchase.

Overtime the Declaration of Independence has adapted to the way of life at the time by giving blacks their freedom with abolishing slavery and giving then voting rights. Jefferson believed that African Americans were inferior to white America's (Onuf 5). In 1776 white Americans were seen as superior to African Americans. They didn’t see blacks as people which entitled themselves to make blacks property and something attainable rather than a human being.

The Declaration of Independence states how we as the Thirteen Colonies declared independence from Great Britain. One of the major arguments made by Thomas Jefferson that supported the colonies right of independence was how, “All men are created equal”. However, some question Jefferson's choice to put forth that statement, and find him a hypocrite, since he himself was a slave owner. On the contrary, Jefferson should not be seen as a hypocrite, because we can not judge Jefferson from a modern perspective, as well as Jefferson supported blacks, thus he included a passage regarding slavery in his draft of the Declaration of Independence, which was later deleted by congress.

“Jefferson’s ideals came from a hypothetical yeoman farmer, whose hard labour on the land will offer the best judgment on the rights of people.” (Sturgis, pg 7) At times, Jefferson had made uncomfortable decisions that opposed his ideals and beliefs, such as the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon. This forced a removal of the