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Thomas Jefferson's views on slavery

race (Jefferson, 1787, p.97). These political objections include the prejudice of the whites, the resentment of the blacks because of the treatment they have received, and the "real distinctions" between the races made by nature (Jefferson, 1787, p.97). He stresses that if the Negro slaves do achieve emancipation they should not be retained and incorporated into the United States or allowed to "mix" with the whites in any way (Jefferson, 1787, pp.97, 103).

According to Jefferson, the different skin colour between the races is "fixed in nature" and extremely important as it symbolises the superior beauty of whites over blacks (Jefferson, 1787, p.97). He suggests that having black skin entails "eternal monotony"; it forms an "immoveable veil" over the face which disguises the emotions and countenance of Negro people (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). By contrast, white people have skin which is suffused with red when displaying "expressions of every passion" (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). Further, white people have "flowing hair" and "a more elegant symmetry of face" (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). Black people themselves prefer white people in the same way that the higher apes are more attracted to Negro women than females of their own species (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). Jefferson also suggests that the practice of breeding animals based upon their degree of beauty should also be applied to humans (Jefferson, 1787, p.98).

Jefferson states that in addition to differences in skin colour, type of hair and stature, many physical distinctions between blacks and whites can be identified which prove that they are of a different race (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). For example, Negroes perspire more "which gives them a very strong and disagreeable odour" and also enables them to endure extreme heat better than whites, but extreme cold less so (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). Further, their lack of "forethought" and consideration means that they are equally brave and "more adventuresome" than whites (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). While Negro males are more ardent, sex for them is an act of satisfying a physical desire rather than "a tender delicate mixture of sentiment and sensation" that it is for whites (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). Negro emotion and grief is fleeting and they do not consider the deeper meanings of their existence (Jefferson, 1787, p.98). Like an animal, their chief objective in life is the participation in "sensation" rather than "reflection", and when a Negro is not working or trying to satisfy his


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Thomas Jefferson's views on slavery

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