How did Jefferson's views regarding blacks and Native Americans differ? What accounts for the difference, according to historian Ronald Takaki, in Source 1?
Answer (1)
Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, had complex and often contradictory views on race and ethnicity, particularly concerning blacks and Native Americans.
Views on Blacks: Jefferson is widely known for his role in drafting the Declaration of Independence, which stated that "all men are created equal." However, he owned enslaved people himself and held the belief that black people were inferior to white people. In his writings, particularly in "Notes on the State of Virginia," Jefferson expressed that he believed African Americans were physically and mentally inferior to whites, which he used as a justification for the institution of slavery.
Views on Native Americans: Jefferson's views on Native Americans were somewhat different. He often viewed them as "noble savages" who were culturally different but not inherently inferior. Jefferson believed that Native Americans could potentially assimilate into European-American society and adopt its ways. He saw them as capable of becoming part of the agrarian society he envisioned for the United States.
Difference According to Ronald Takaki: According to historian Ronald Takaki, the difference in Jefferson's views may be attributed to the fact that he perceived blacks mainly through the lens of the institution of slavery, which he was deeply entangled in. In contrast, his views on Native Americans were shaped by his experiences and interactions with them as sovereign nations and political entities. Jefferson thought that Native Americans, unlike blacks who were enslaved with no apparent path to freedom or equality, could change and assimilate because they were not initially seen as a labor force.
These contrasting views underscore the complexity and contradictions in Jefferson's thinking about race, reflecting the broader societal beliefs and economic interests of the time. Takaki, like many historians, suggests that Jefferson's economic reliance on enslaved labor might have influenced his justification of racial superiority and inferiority.
