Sunday, September 14, 2014
Blog 1
Last class we watched a reenactment of John Adams life. I just wanted to talk about how surprised I was about Thomas Jefferson. We always hear about how great he was, and how he was such an important man in American history. And while that is all true, I was so surprised at how he agreed with John Adams and supported him. But when he was in front of the crowd when they where voting to send Britain and olive branch he voted against Adams. I understand that he later stated we have to keep them (the other colones) happy. But that's what I don't understand. Why can't he just be open with everyone about what he thinks along with Adams. I don't see what the consequences towards him would be, beside supporting Adams and ultimately helping there cause. I just think that if they all started agreeing with Adams sooner then America would have been on the track to being America sooner. Which I don't think would have been a bad thing. So my main question is why was Thomas Jefferson so scared to share his thoughts and opinions, and if he did sooner what would have happen, whether that be good or bad?
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Savannah, I agree with you entirely; Jefferson in public is so shy and diffident as to be almost non-existent. And yet, when I read his quasi-private ramblings on the State of Virginia, I hear the scientist's reticence to reach a conclusion until all of the evidence is in. Perhaps it is this "scientific" mindset that leads Jefferson to hold his opinions in check until he has tested them to his satisfaction?
ReplyDeleteSavannah, I agree with you on the fact of voting for the Revolution, however, I think the reason why Jefferson and some others didn't agree immediately, was because of social standing. Even if they agreed, they would became social outcasts and maybe even create enemies for themselves within the Congress. An example was John Adams and Mr. Dickenson. If he did it sooner, it could have led to a different outcome, like all of the supporters, hanging or worse. They could have even lost the war.
ReplyDeleteI want to extend on what Keerthana said about Congress. I want to point out that Thomas Jefferson along with John Adams and Be. Franklin were writing up the Declaration of independence. And if Jefferson was not in everyone's best interests, then the Declaration of Independence might have been observed in a different light by the other members of congress. The same members of congress who Jefferson voted (with but in this hypothetical situation) against. Now The Declaration of Independence might have been changed or even vetoed.
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