Thomas Jefferson Argumentative Essay

AMS-1A

Summative Essay #2 In 1776, fifty-six delegates from thirteen colonies of the United States signed the Declaration of Independence, establishing the United States of America. Along with it came the constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the preamble. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the country and later served as the third president of the United States was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. One of the famous quotes on the doctrine that our country abides by today is “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This quote promises for all citizens who swear and oath and pledge allegiance to the United States flag. However, arguments have been made that Jefferson’s philosophy on the pursuit of happiness may have differed from what society refers to it as today. By utilizing lectures given by Professors Jason Wozniak and Todd Ormsbee, and Ronald Takaki’s text “A Different

Like women, Jefferson claimed Africans to have hearts but no brain, in fact they weren’t even viewed as men based on their skin color. This claim justified Jefferson’s use of slaves because Jefferson claimed he was being a “father to the slaves.” Since Africans were not seen as men, they lacked protection of the doctrine that “all men are created equal”. Another example given by Professor Ormsbee was his perspective of slaves versus his the doctrine. He was the only individual to vote to not free the slaves. Jefferson received slaves from his father in-law and any slave who had children, he would treat them as property and sold them for a profit. prevents them from engaging in Jefferson’s pursuit of happiness as well. Like women, these actions prevented African slaves to pursue Jefferson’s philosophy of happiness