Momentous Change in America: A Paper on Thomas Jefferson
Uploaded by Comrade Basa on Oct 14, 2008
Thomas Jefferson is a controversial figure in American history. He was instrumental in the formation of the American republic. Jefferson’s main contribution was the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the most important document in American history. He does what other people want of him, even if it does not follow his own beliefs. Thomas Jefferson was too liberal for his day and age, which resulted in only modest success for most of his ideas. Despite the lack of success Jefferson had implementing his ideas in American society, he had created a precedent and influenced many others to follow in his ideas on freedom and liberty. Thomas Jefferson was great—not for the changes he managed to implement during his lifetime, but for his social beliefs, which are present predominantly in his writing.
To understand what makes Jefferson the greatest man in American history, it must be examined how he is set apart from his contemporaries. Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743, to a prosperous family. Both parents were upstanding citizens in the colony. They lived on a large plantation of close to 7000 acres. Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary, a reputable and legitimate institution in Colonial America. Jefferson went beyond his formal education and expanded his study with additional private education from a noted professor, George Wythe. This led to Jefferson’s law practice. He was elected to the House of Burgesses and served there from 1769 to 1774. In one instance, Jefferson, as a lawyer, defended a Mulatto’s claim to freedom; “Under law of nature all men are born free…” Meanwhile, though Jefferson had won this case, and established the rights of slaves, the 200 slaves in his possession continued to maintain his plantation for him. At the time, it was illegal to release a slave in the state of Virginia. However, official records indicate that Jefferson freed at least five of those slaves.
In 1775 Jefferson became a member of the Continental Congress, and again in 1784. Jefferson’s stints in prominent government positions gave him increasing popularity amongst the people. After his service to the Continental Congress, he became a part of the Virginia legislature. Jefferson’s reputation continued to soar, and in 1779 was elected as the governor of Virginia. After this time serving in the government, Jefferson took time off to compile information on...