Jose Oviedo

English 6-5
Mr.Brau
9/23/15
Thomas Jefferson
Should the integrity of Thomas Jefferson be preserved? Thomas Jefferson was the author
of the Declaration of Independence and the Statue of Virginia for Religious Freedoms, third
president of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia. In the discussion of the
integrity of Thomas Jefferson, i am going to talk about Thomas Jefferson not being a man of
integrity. Three main ideas are owning slaves,not caring about his family more than the new
country and had inersexual relationship with one of his slaves.
According to Thomas Jefferson Movie by Ken Burns, Thomas Jefferson owned 200
slaves and did not free them after his death. For example, Ken Burn states,After his father in
law died Thomas Jefferson was given his slaves which made him the 2nd largest slave owner in
the county. This observation is significant because he owned slaves to do all his housework and
farming after he stated in the Declaration of Independence that all men are equal. Experts agree
that owning slaves does not make you a man of integrity. Clearly, he was not a man with
integrity.
In addition to Thomas Jefferson owning 200 slaves, further evidence suggests that
Thomas Jefferson chose the new country than his family. For instance, on Thomas Jefferson
movie has observed that,Thomas Jefferson believed in a better country than staying with his
family. In this statement helps us understand that he didnt cared about his family more than the

Declaration of Independence which Independent them from Britain. This statement shows why
he was not a man of integrity due to his lack of not caring for his family. It is essential
recognize that he was an ignorant person who didnt care about his family and their way about
the feelings his family feels.
Although many believe that Thomas Jefferson is a man of integrity because of the
inspiration for future revolutions for a better change. I agree with him believing about the
revolutions in the future, but this would give the people a high power to overrule the government
whenever they want. With him being a man of integrity there also comes a fact about him not
being a man of integrity. On the other hand, in the article Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings:
A Brief Account it states on the section DNA Evidence and Response that he defied the law and
had inter sexual relation with one of his slaves(Sally Hemings) and had 6 kids which two of her
children--Madison and Eston--indicated that Jefferson was their father. During the 1800s it was
wrong for a white man have a sexual relationship with their slaves.
In conclusion, Thomas Jefferson should not be a man of integrity due to owning
slaves( 2nd slave owner in the county), not caring about his family, and having sexual
relationship with one of his slaves. Most people would agree with him being a man of integrity
but we should still remember all of the bad problems he did. All of these ideas prove that Thomas
Jefferson was not a man of integrity due to his lack of being a good Father and not being a good
president.