VOA新闻杂志2023--Thomas Jefferson: Complex

Thomas Jefferson: Complex

VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.

Today we are talking about Thomas Jefferson. Although he took office in 1801, he is still one of the country's best-known and most popular presidents. You can see a memorial honoring him in Washington, DC.

Jefferson is often linked to the country's history of self-government, separation of church and state, and public education.

Over time, Jefferson's name also became linked to the continuation of slavery until the Civil War, and to the loss of land for Native Americans.

Founding father

Jefferson was born in 1743 and grew up in the hills and low mountains of Virginia. His family's wealth enabled him to get an excellent education.

Jefferson also learned to ride horses, dance and explore the natural world.

In the 1770s, Jefferson supported the American Revolution against Britain. He is probably most famous for being the lead writer of the Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson went on to hold many positions in the country's new state and national governments. He served as governor of Virginia, a minister to France, secretary of state for President George Washington, and the vice¹ president under President John Adams.

Virginia planter and slave owner

Jefferson played an important part in the creation of the U.S. But he often wrote to friends about how he most wanted to retire from public service and return to his home in Virginia.

In the 1760s, he designed a house there that he called Monticello – the word means "little mountain" in Italian.

About 130 slaves lived on Monticello's grounds at any time. They worked in Jefferson's home, farms, and on special projects, such as making cabinets and nails.

Jefferson owned about 600 slaves during his life. Yet he said he disliked slavery. He believed God would judge slave owners severely².

And, of course, Jefferson himself wrote in the Declaration of Independence "all men are created equal" and have the right to "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Yet Jefferson did not use his political power to end slavery. He expected future generations would permit slavery to end slowly across the country.

Jefferson's words and actions on slavery are contradictory³. This conflict is especially evident because Jefferson likely had a long relationship with a slave at Monticello.

Her name was Sally Hemings. Evidence suggests that Jefferson was the father of her six children of record.

Third U.S. president

In 1801, Thomas Jefferson left Monticello to become the third U.S. president. His inauguration⁴ was the first held in Washington, DC.

Jefferson's government was a break from the earlier administrations. The first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, supported a strong federal government. Jefferson, on the other hand, wanted to limit federal government.

As president, Jefferson cut the national debt. He reduced the military. He disliked the power of the Supreme⁵ Court over the laws Congress made. And he rejected appearances that made the U.S. president look like a European king.

One of the lasting⁶ images of Jefferson is of him receiving guests in old clothes and slippers⁷.

But as president, Jefferson also appeared strong and powerful when dealing⁸ with foreign nations. Jefferson increased American naval⁹ forces in the Mediterranean¹⁰ to guard against threats to American ships.

And he permitted U.S. officials to buy a huge piece of land from France, even though the Louisiana Purchase added to the national debt and exceeded the power the Constitution gave the president.

In general, historians consider Jefferson's first term as president a success. Voters did, too, because he easily won a second term.

But those last four years were difficult. Jefferson's popularity suffered, especially when he stopped all American trade with Europe. Jefferson aimed to limit U.S. involvement in a war between Britain and France.

Instead, critics say he ruined the American economy.

Legacy¹¹

Critics also attacked both Jefferson's political ideas and his personal qualities. George Washington worried that Jefferson would weaken the strong federal government he had worked hard to create.

And even friends suggested in their letters that Jefferson was too idealistic.

Jefferson's opponents also accused him of not being a Christian¹², although he said he was. However, he did not believe the government should make rules about religion.

He wrote that the government should worry only about acts that hurt other people. He said it does not harm him if his neighbor says "there are 20 gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

Jefferson's thinking on the separation of church and state remains¹³ important – and, in general, popular – in the U.S. today.

However, Jefferson is linked to problems faced by Native Americans. He tried to get Indian nations to enter into treaties that ultimately took away their land. He wanted Native Americans to become more like European-Americans. His policies made them depend on the federal government.

And Jefferson took no major action to end slavery, either in his personal life or as a public official.

At the end of his life, Jefferson wrote proudly about his accomplishments¹⁴. He said he wanted to be remembered for three things: writing the Declaration of Independence, supporting religious freedom, and creating the University of Virginia.

For the most part, he is.

Jefferson also supported free public education, especially for those who could not pay for school.

But his time at Monticello had many sorrows. His wife, Martha, had died in 1782 after difficulty in childbirth. Most of his children also died before him.

In addition, the cost of improving and caring for Monticello, as well as the money he spent on fine wine and good food, had ruined him financially.

Eventually, one of his daughters had to sell her father's beloved Monticello and the slaves who lived there to pay his debts.

Jefferson died in his bed at the age of 83. The last detail of his life – which Americans love to tell – is that he passed away on America's birthday, exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Words in This Story

contradictory – adj. involving or having information that disagrees with other information

significant – adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect

slippers – n. light, soft shoes easily put on and taken off and worn indoors

picks my pocket – v. steals

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

3 contradictory   

adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立

参考例句：

• The argument is internally contradictory.论据本身自相矛盾。
• What he said was self-contradictory.他讲话前后不符。

4 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

7 slippers   

n. 拖鞋

参考例句：

• a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
• He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋，倒在床上。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

10 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

11 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

12 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

13 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

14 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》