美国总统3 托马斯杰斐逊.docx

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1、美国总统3托马斯杰斐逊ThomasJefferson:AComplexCharacterVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutThomasJefferson.Althoughhetookofficein1801zheisstilloneofthecountrysbest-knownandmostpopularpresidents.YoucanseeamemorialhonoringhiminWashington,DC.TheThomasJeffersonstatueintheJeffersonMem

2、orialontheTidalBasininWashington,April6z1999Jeffersonisoftenlinkedtothecountry,shistoryofself-government,separationofchurchandstate,andpubliceducation.Overtime,JeffersonzSnamealsobecamelinkedtothecontinuationofslaveryuntiltheCivilWar,andtothelossoflandforNativeAmericans.FoundingfatherJeffersonwasbor

3、nin1743andgrewupinthehillsandlowmountainsofVirginia.Hisfamily,swealthenabledhimtogetanexcellenteducation.Jeffersonalsolearnedtoridehorses,danceandexplorethenaturalworld.Inthe1770s,JeffersonsupportedtheAmericanRevolutionagainstBritain.HeisprobablymostfamousforbeingtheleadwriteroftheDeclarationofIndep

4、endence.Jeffersonwentontoholdmanypositionsinthecountrysnewstateandnationalgovernments.HeservedasgovernorofVirginia,aministertoFrance,secretaryofstateforPresidentGeorqeWeshinqton,andthevicepresidentUnderPreSidentJoheAdams.VirginiaplanterandslaveownerJeffersonplayedanimportantpartinthecreationoftheU.S

5、.ButheoftenwrotetofriendsabouthowhemostwantedtoretirefrompublicserviceandreturntohishomeinVirginia.Inthe1760s,hedesignedahousetherethathecalledMonticello-thewordmeanslittlemountain7inItalian.About130slaveslivedonMonticeIIozSgroundsatanytime.TheyworkedinJeffersonzShome,farms,andonspecialprojects,such

6、asmakingcabinetsandnails.Jeffersonownedabout600slavesduringhislife.Yethesaidhedislikedslavery.HebelievedGodwouldjudgeslaveownersseverely.And,ofcourse,JeffersonhimselfwroteintheDeclarationofIndependenceallmenarecreatedequal“andhavetherighttoLife,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness/7YetJeffersondidnotuseh

7、ispoliticalpowertoendslavery.Heexpectedfuturegenerationswouldpermitslaverytoendslowlyacrossthecountry.JeffersonzSwordsandactionsonslaveryarecontradictory.ThisconflictisespeciallyevidentbecauseJeffersonlikelyhadalongrelationshipwithaslaveatMonticello.HernamewasSallyHemings.EvidencesuggeststhatJeffers

8、onwasthefatherofhersixchildrenofrecord.ThirdU.S.presidentIn1801zThomasJeffersonleftMonticellotobecomethethirdU.S.president.HisinaugurationwasthefirstheldinWashington,DC.Jefferson,sgovernmentwasabreakfromtheearlieradministrations.Thefirsttwopresidents,GeorgeWashingtonandJohnAdamszsupportedastrongfede

9、ralgovernment.Jeffersonzontheotherhand,wantedtolimitfederalgovernment.Aspresident,Jeffersoncutthenationaldebt.Hereducedthemilitary.HedislikedthepoweroftheSupremeCourtoverthelawsCongressmade.AndherejectedappearancesthatmadetheU.S.presidentlooklikeaEuropeanking.OneofthelastingimagesofJeffersonisofhimr

10、eceivingguestsinoldclothesandslippers.Butaspresident,Jeffersonalsoappearedstrongandpowerfulwhendealingwithforeignnations.JeffersonincreasedAmericannavalforcesintheMediterraneantoguardagainstthreatstoAmericanships.AndhepermittedU.S.officialstobuyahugepieceoflandfromFrance,eventhoughtheLoUiSianaPUrCha

11、SeaddedtothenationaldebtandexceededthepowertheConstitutiongavethepresident.Ingeneral,historiansconsiderJeffersonzSfirsttermaspresidentasuccess.Votersdidztoo,becauseheeasilywonasecondterm.Butthoselastfouryearsweredifficult.JeffersonzSpopularitysuffered,especiallywhenhestoppedallAmericantradewithEurop

12、e.JeffersonaimedtolimitU.S.involvementinawarbetweenBritainandFrance.Instead,criticssayheruinedtheAmericaneconomy.PortraitofJeffersonbyThomasSully,18211.egacyCriticsalsoattackedbothJeffersonzSpoliticalideasandhispersonalqualities.GeorgeWashingtonworriedthatJeffersonwouldweakenthestrongfederalgovernme

13、nthehadworkedhardtocreate.AndevenfriendssuggestedintheirlettersthatJeffersonwastooidealistic.Jefferson,sopponentsalsoaccusedhimofnotbeingaChristian,althoughhesaidhewas.However,hedidnotbelievethegovernmentshouldmakerulesaboutreligion.Hewrotethatthegovernmentshouldworryonlyaboutactsthathurtotherpeople

14、.Hesaiditdoesnotharmhimifhisneighborsaysthereare20godsornogods.Itneitherpicksmypocketnorbreaksmyleg.”JeffersonzSthinkingontheseparationofchurchandstateremainsimportant-andzingeneral,popular-intheU.S.today.However,JeffersonislinkedtoproblemsfacedbyNativeAmericans.HetriedtogetIndiannationstoenterintot

15、reatiesthatultimatelytookawaytheirland.HewantedNativeAmericanstobecomemorelikeEuropean-Americans.Hispoliciesmadethemdependonthefederalgovernment.AndJeffersontooknomajoractiontoendslavery,eitherinhispersonallifeorasapublicofficial.Attheendofhislife,Jeffersonwroteproudlyabouthisaccomplishments.Hesaidh

16、ewantedtoberememberedforthreethings:writingtheDeclarationofIndependence,supportingreligiousfreedom,andcreatingtheUniversityofVirginia.Forthemostpart,heis.Jeffersonalsosupportedfreepubliceducation,especiallyforthosewhocouldnotpayforschool.ButhistimeatMonticellohadmanysorrows.HiswifezMartharhaddiedin1782afterdifficultyinchildbirth.Mostofhischildrenalsodiedbeforehim.Inaddition,thecostofimprovingandcar