Thomas Jefferson was America's golden boy. Author of the Declaration of Independence, secretary of state under George Washington, vice president to John Adams, and 3rd president of the United States, he penned famous words like "all men are created equal," and "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." For this, he's often remembered as a moral champion who fought for equality and liberty for all. But there was another side to Thomas Jefferson, a darker side, one he kept well hidden. Despite his passionate prose, Jefferson enslaved some 600 people in his lifetime. Despite calling slavery "moral depravity" and a "hideous blot," he himself knowingly traded in human lives, authorized the beatings of children, intentionally sold them away from their families, all while benefiting immensely financially. So who was Thomas Jefferson really? America's golden boy or... something else? Tune in to find out!
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Sources:
- The White House Historical Association "Thomas Jefferson"
- The White House Historical Association "The Enslaved Household of President Thomas Jefferson"
- Smithsonian Magazine "The Dark Side of Thomas Jefferson"
- Encyclopedia Britannica "Thomas Jefferson"
- Monticello.org "Monticello Affirms Thomas Jefferson Fathered Children with Sally Hemings"
- Slate Magazine "Thomas Jefferson Was Not a Monster"
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