The opposing views on Jefferson are difficult and obnoxious to comprehend. In history classes, we have been taught over and over again that Jefferson believed in white supremacy, and was a rich man who owned hundreds an hundreds of slaves. In no way did he believe in equality for all, let alone try to act on any impulse of equality. In 'Notes on the State of Virginia' Jefferson presents himself as a man who values every person, who strives to make this great nation equal for all.
The differences in the way Jefferson approaches equality could be tagged to a variety of different reasons. Either his meaning in 'Notes on the State of Virginia' were misconstrued, or historians are false in saying he was a white supremacist who owned as many slaves as he did.
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