Believe it or not- Thomas Jefferson wanted the Declaration of Independence to condemn Slavery

The Declaration of Independence, a cornerstone of American history, is widely regarded as a document representing the principles of liberty and equality upon which the United States was founded. It was written by Thomas Jefferson, a key figure in the American Revolution, who attempted to include language that would have condemned slavery. However, this language was ultimately removed, and the Declaration did not explicitly condemn the practice. This article will explore how Jefferson tried to advocate against slavery in the Declaration and why this language was forgotten.

Thomas Jefferson was a complex figure. On the one hand, he was a slave owner who owned over 600 enslaved people during his lifetime. On the other hand, he was a vocal advocate for the abolition of slavery and believed that it was a moral and political evil. Jefferson attempted to include language in the Declaration of Independence that would have condemned the practice of slavery.

In his original draft of the Declaration, Jefferson wrote a passage that condemned King George III for "waging cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither." This passage explicitly condemned the practice of slavery and accused the King of perpetuating it.

However, this language was ultimately removed from the final draft of the Declaration. There were several reasons for this. Firstly, there was a fear among the Southern colonies that explicitly condemning slavery would lead to a loss of support for the Revolution. Many slave-owning colonists believed that their economic interests were tied to the continuation of the practice, and they did not want to risk losing their support for the Revolution by condemning it. Additionally, some Northern delegates opposed to slavery did not want to include language that would divide the colonies and potentially weaken their resolve to fight against British rule.

As a result, the passage condemning slavery was removed, and the final version of the Declaration did not explicitly condemn the practice. However, the Declaration's emphasis on equality and natural rights has been used to support abolitionist movements throughout American history. Many abolitionists argued that the principles enshrined in the Declaration made slavery contradictory to American liberty.

Thomas Jefferson attempted to include language that condemned slavery in the Declaration of Independence. Still, this language was ultimately removed due to concerns about dividing the colonies and potentially weakening their resolve to fight against British rule. Although the Declaration did not explicitly condemn slavery, its emphasis on equality and natural rights has been used to support abolitionist movements throughout American history. Despite its flaws, the Declaration of Independence remains a vital document representing the principles upon which the United States was founded.