Thomas Jefferson was a strong supporter of the idea that all men are equal. However, his perception of slavery is ironic as in his entire life, and he has enslaved approximately six-hundred individuals. Jefferson was a strong legislator on an issue that was concerning slavery. In his whole life, he was a public activist on the matter concerning slavery, of which he was a strong opponent of the slavery act. Jefferson perceived slavery and moral derivative, which was a significant threat to the new America's survival. Equally, he was a strong advocate of the idea that slavery was not following the law of nature. According to him, the law of nature stipulates that every individual has the legal right to personal freedom. The essay will analyze the implications of the document 'Jefferson on slavery' on world civilization. Jefferson's view on slavery was radical, an instance in the continent where there having unfree labor was familiar to people.
'Jefferson on slavery' is a document that was written by Thomas Jefferson. The writing of the passage was in the year 1776. The course's historical content is native and rotted into the unveil acts that were taking place in society. The writing of the passage took place when slavery, especially for the Blacks, was at its peak among the Whites. The quote was a part of the declaration for independence, and it was later removed (Williams, 2020). Thomas Jefferson wrote the passage since he felt that slavery was becoming too much as it violated human rights. In the letter, Thomas Jefferson blamed King George for contributing to the transatlantic slave trade (Williams, 2020). According to Jefferson, any act that facilitated the slave trade is a crime towards humanity. In the passage, Thomas Jefferson stipulates that slavery is a violation of human rights, considered sacred. The document is of great importance to world civilization. Such is because Jefferson's passage awakened a new error of society where people were not fighting for their rights. The document was of colossal contribution to ending slavery among the British colonialists and gave rise to a new world civilization error.
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During the American Revolution, Jefferson was a strong activist in legislation that would result in abolishing slavery. For instance, he drafted the Virginian law, a strong law that did not allow importing slaves from Africa. Jefferson's main idea in the passage is that the emancipation of slavery will have to be a section of the democratic proceedings (). The abolishment of slavery will be tough until some slave owners agree to free the ones they held as human property. Thus, Jefferson's passage is a calling to all individuals to take part in the slave abolishment acts and bring rise to a new civilization where no human is a property of another. A culture where people can freely exercise their rights without any limitations. Jefferson's advocacy was towards having a new civilization here; there is the automation of some of the processes to end slavery. For instance, he suggested that those in Virginia, where the slave trade was at its peak, would have opted for other means of cultivating their Tobacco farms. People largely depended on the slave labor force. Jefferson was for the idea that having a machine to work on the lands will end slavery. Devices will create a new civilization where there is the automation of some of the processes.
The passage did not bring many changes to the issue of slavery. The world of civilization was within the expectation of many. Even after the declaration, slavery continued to increase, and in places like Virginia, slaves became the leading export. Instead, Jefferson opted for another solution to the issue to usher in the new civilization. The recent suggestion was on the emancipation of the slaves and bettering their living standards. As a good example, Jefferson became the first person to let go of his slaves. The actions gave way to civilization, and the living standards and health conditions of most of the slaves were improving (Holowchak, 2019). In the new error, slaves were not receiving some of the services that were not available in the past, like access to medical care. Also, there was advocacy for the removal of free slaves from the United States. Most of the slaves took a movement back to their homeland. However, Jefferson's idea presented an unintended effect, as shown in the passage in creating a new civilization where human rights exist. The message in the course by Jefferson was in use to perpetuate the slave trade acts. The argument that most advocates were having is to improve on slavery to make the abolishment unnecessary.
Racial beliefs were also the main contribution to the new world civilization on the slave trade aspects. As in the passage, Jefferson's view is the Whites, and the Blacks were two different individuals from two other nations and would never co-exist peacefully. The belief was centered around blacks being incapable and inferior before the whites. In the passage, Jefferson makes a comparison of slavery, withholding the ears of a wolf. It is impossible to let go of the wolf, and neither it is good to keep holding on. The fears were to revolve from the slaved who undergo emancipation—increasing the living standards of the slaves as it the world civilization would make them defiant (Kelly, 2016). Keeping them in their control would be the start of a civil war that will break the union between the two. Thus, the document is relevant to world civilization, and it establishes the foundation through which the Blacks can get their liberty. In the world, civilization peace is of great importance, and people learn to co-exist. The document was the beginning of the co-existence between the whites and the Blacks. The focus of the paper is on how people will live peacefully in the future.
People might have challenges to co-exist with each other at the moment. Still, from the document, everyone has a right, and that is where the co-existence in the world civilization starts—the document act as enlightenment to those who aspire to live in the world full of society. The omission of the passage from the declaration is an exclusion of a legacy of African descent. World civilization focuses on the changes that have taken place from the past to the present. The passage recommends abolishing the slave trade as a way forward to dealing with the issue (Kelly, 2016). The abolishment might not have been influential in the past or when Jefferson was writing the passage. However, in the world of civilization, the slave trade is no longer in existence. Those taking part in the slave trade are engaging in illegal activities as it violates human rights. Thus, the document was a stepping stone to abolishing the slave trade in the modern civilized world. People know their rights and the correct procedure to follow in case there is a violation.
In conclusion, 'Jefferson on slave' is a document written by Thomas Jefferson and was a part of the declaration of independence. Jefferson writes the record as he felt the acts of slavery that were taking place in the colonial period were too much, was a violation of human rights, and was not as per the requirements of nature. Some people term the acts of Jefferson as being hypocritical and an irony. Such is because while he was busy fighting for the abolishment of the slave trade, he was also among the people who had slaves in their possession. The document has been of massive contribution to world civilization, especially in abolishing the slave trade. When Jefferson was writing the manuscript, the slave trade was at its peak, and the passage may not have been significant. However, in the world of civilization, the slave trade no longer exists, indicating the level of efficiency and effectiveness of the document in the abolishment. The challenge was the ideas and beliefs of people in society. A majority of slave owners believe that Whites and Blacks were different and would not co-exist. If they let the slaves go, they would revolt that will overpower their dominance and ruling power. The fear of the whites made the manuscript by Thomas Jefferson to no longer be a part of the declaration for independence.
References
Holowchak, M. (2019). What a Line Deleted from the Declaration of Independence Teaches us About Thomas Jefferson. History News Network. Retrieved from https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/173919 . Accessed 24 September 2020.
Kelly, P. (2016). Documents that Changed the World: The Declaration of Independence’s Deleted Passage on Slavery, 1776. UW News. Retrieved from https://www.washington.edu/news/2016/02/25/documents-that-changed-the-world-the- declaration-of-independence-deleted-passage-on-slavery-1776/ Accessed 24 September 2020.
Williams, Y. (2020). Why Thomas Jefferson’s Anti – Slavery Passage was Removed from the Declaration of Independence. History. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.history.com/.amp/news/declaration-of- independence-deleted-anti-slavery-clause-jefferson. Accessed 24 September 2020.
