Thinking History Thursday

Thomas Jefferson

The eminent political historian Richard Hofstader, in his seminal work The American Political Tradition, titled the chapter on Thomas Jefferson "The Aristocrat as Democrat." A fitting label as Jefferson was a man of variety and extremes. Some would say he was at times hypocritical. He was a great speechwriter but had panic attacks when speaking in front of large groups. He called for the end to slavery but was one of Virginia's largest slave holders and unlike Washington he never freed his slaves. He was considered the champion of the common man but lived like a noble and nearly spent his way into severe debt. He advocated limited government but authorized the largest land purchase inUS History without Congressional approval.

Jefferson was born and raised in Virginia. His education was directed by a number of tutors and later on a grammar school run by a Presbyterian minister. He attended William and Mary college and studied avariety of subjects, including mathematics, metaphysics, and political philosophy. Jefferson, more than any other Founding Father (including Franklin) was a "Renaissance Man," meaning he was knowledgeable at and excelled in many areas--scientific, political, literary, and artistic. Jefferson's mother had died when he was young and his father died in 1757, leaving half of the land holdings and slaves to Jefferson (about 5000 acres and 30 slaves). Jefferson worked dillegently over the next ten years to build up and modernize the plantation.

Jefferson married his wife, Martha, in 1772 and inherited her fathers plantation (11,000 acres and over 135 slaves) in 1773. He became one of the largest plantation and slave owners in Virginia. Martha bore five children, of which two lived to see adulthood. Martha passed away in 1782. Jefferson was a member of the Second Continental Congress and wrote most of the Declaration of Independence. The small desk he wrote it on sits in the State Department museum today. Though not completely pleased with the final document, Jefferson's work profoundly influenced the colonial decision to separate from England.

During the Revolutionary War Jefferson was Governor of Virginia. As wartime governor he was nearly captured by the British, but local militia held off the redcoats long enough for Jefferson to escape. Jefferson also pushed for expanded educational opportunities and started writing the much acclaimed Notes on the State of Virginia. Jefferson was also pert of the negotiating team that eventually convinced France to join the cause and later negotiate the peace treaty with England. After Martha's death Jefferson went into a five year state of mourning.

Jefferson emerged back on the political scene in the late 1780s when he was named Minister to France. Like Adama in England, Jefferson was not at the Constitutional Convention, but had corresponded and discussed the need for a new government with James Madison. Jefferson supported the final document but was concerned with the power of the federal government, especially the presidency. Although of little account, Jefferson served as Secretary of State during Washington's first term.

Jefferson increasingly pulled away from the Federalists and, along with James Madison, organized the first, organized opposition party, the Democratic Republicans. Although the Federalist, John Adams wins in 1796, Jefferson gains the presidency in 1800, sometimes called the Revolution of 1800. As president, Jefferson does little to demolish Hamilton's economic policies. Jefferson does impose a nearly disasterous embargo on England in 1805. The move nearly destroyed the US economy.

Jefferson is best known for the Louisiana Purchase and the expedition of Lewis and Clark. To understand Jefferson's motivation, you have to understand that Jefferson envisioned an agrarian republic of thousands of small family farms as the backbone of American democracy. Jefferson, like many Southerners, were suspicious of manufacturing and industrialists. The massive Louisiana territory would guarantee Jefferson's agrarian vision. Personally, Jefferson wanted to know what was out there, so the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery was created. A huge success and impressive adventure story, the specimens collected filled Jefferson's home.

Jefferson essentially retired from public life in 1809. He returned to his home in Virginia, Monticello. Scandal did disrupt Jefferson's life when newspapers started publishing stories about his affair with Sally Hemmings, one of his slaves. Today, there is little doubt that the rumors were true, but to maintain intellectual honesty, Jefferson was a widower and there is no evidence that the relationship was anything less than consensual. It must be added though that Jefferson never did publicly acknowledge the incident or the children that appear to have been the result.

As pointed out in a previous post, Jefferson died on July 4, 1826. The same day as John Adams, and 50 years after the Declaration of Independence.

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