Relationship Between Jefferson And Lewis

Indian Society and US-Indian Relationship

Thomas Jefferson and Meriwether Lewis both reflected their views about US-Indian relations and Indian society. Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Marquis de Chastellux in 1785 describing about the relations between Indians of North America and whites. A journal entry written by Meriwether Lewis in 1805 portrays the true picture of diplomatic relations between the Indians of North America and the United States. The letter written by Thomas Jefferson gives the impression that Jefferson described the US-Indian relations based on intuitions and rational thinking. The journal entry composed by Lewis is based on ground realities and facts. It can be argued that both Jefferson and Lewis were advocates of strong and healthy relationships between Indians tribes and United States. But at the same time there was a huge difference between their thinking and decision making approach.

The similarity between

Jefferson presented his views based on rational thinking and intuitions. It was his personal belief that Indian and whites are equal in all aspects of life. He did not presented his arguments based on facts and figures. As Jefferson wrote in his letter that “I have seen some thousands myself, and conversed much with them, and have found in them a masculine, sound understanding.” It noticeably shows that it was belief of Jefferson that Indians and whites possess the same masculine strength and power. On the other hand, Lewis when encountered with Sacagawea’s tribe noticed that Indians and Spaniards are not equal in terms of power and strength. Lewis when personally interviewed the people of Indian tribe observed that Spaniards are more powerful and possess firearms greater in number than Indians. The findings of Lewis is based on ground realities and facts. He used the factual approach to the decision