美国总统3 托马斯杰斐逊.docx

美国总统3托马斯杰斐逊ThomasJefferson:AComplexCharacterVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutThomasJefferson.Althoughhetookofficein1801zheisstilloneofthecountry'sbest-knownandmostpopularpresidents.YoucanseeamemorialhonoringhiminWashington,DC.TheThomasJeffersonstatueintheJeffersonMemorialontheTidalBasininWashington,April6z1999Jeffersonisoftenlinkedtothecountry,shistoryofself-government,separationofchurchandstate,andpubliceducation.Overtime,JeffersonzSnamealsobecamelinkedtothecontinuationofslaveryuntiltheCivilWar,andtothelossoflandforNativeAmericans.FoundingfatherJeffersonwasbornin1743andgrewupinthehillsandlowmountainsofVirginia.Hisfamily,swealthenabledhimtogetanexcellenteducation.Jeffersonalsolearnedtoridehorses,danceandexplorethenaturalworld.Inthe1770s,JeffersonsupportedtheAmericanRevolutionagainstBritain.HeisprobablymostfamousforbeingtheleadwriteroftheDeclarationofIndependence.Jeffersonwentontoholdmanypositionsinthecountry'snewstateandnationalgovernments.HeservedasgovernorofVirginia,aministertoFrance,secretaryofstateforPresidentGeorqeWeshinqton,andthevicepresidentUnderPreSidentJoheAdams.VirginiaplanterandslaveownerJeffersonplayedanimportantpartinthecreationoftheU.S.ButheoftenwrotetofriendsabouthowhemostwantedtoretirefrompublicserviceandreturntohishomeinVirginia.Inthe1760s,hedesignedahousetherethathecalledMonticello-thewordmeans''littlemountain'7inItalian.About130slaveslivedonMonticeIIozSgroundsatanytime.TheyworkedinJeffersonzShome,farms,andonspecialprojects,suchasmakingcabinetsandnails.Jeffersonownedabout600slavesduringhislife.Yethesaidhedislikedslavery.HebelievedGodwouldjudgeslaveownersseverely.And,ofcourse,JeffersonhimselfwroteintheDeclarationofIndependence''allmenarecreatedequal“andhavetherightto"Life,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness/7YetJeffersondidnotusehispoliticalpowertoendslavery.Heexpectedfuturegenerationswouldpermitslaverytoendslowlyacrossthecountry.JeffersonzSwordsandactionsonslaveryarecontradictory.ThisconflictisespeciallyevidentbecauseJeffersonlikelyhadalongrelationshipwithaslaveatMonticello.HernamewasSallyHemings.EvidencesuggeststhatJeffersonwasthefatherofhersixchildrenofrecord.ThirdU.S.presidentIn1801zThomasJeffersonleftMonticellotobecomethethirdU.S.president.HisinaugurationwasthefirstheldinWashington,DC.Jefferson,sgovernmentwasabreakfromtheearlieradministrations.Thefirsttwopresidents,GeorgeWashingtonandJohnAdamszsupportedastrongfederalgovernment.Jeffersonzontheotherhand,wantedtolimitfederalgovernment.Aspresident,Jeffersoncutthenationaldebt.Hereducedthemilitary.HedislikedthepoweroftheSupremeCourtoverthelawsCongressmade.AndherejectedappearancesthatmadetheU.S.presidentlooklikeaEuropeanking.OneofthelastingimagesofJeffersonisofhimreceivingguestsinoldclothesandslippers.Butaspresident,Jeffersonalsoappearedstrongandpowerfulwhendealingwithforeignnations.JeffersonincreasedAmericannavalforcesintheMediterraneantoguardagainstthreatstoAmericanships.AndhepermittedU.S.officialstobuyahugepieceoflandfromFrance,eventhoughtheLoUiSianaPUrChaSeaddedtothenationaldebtandexceededthepowertheConstitutiongavethepresident.Ingeneral,historiansconsiderJeffersonzSfirsttermaspresidentasuccess.Votersdidztoo,becauseheeasilywonasecondterm.Butthoselastfouryearsweredifficult.JeffersonzSpopularitysuffered,especiallywhenhestoppedallAmericantradewithEurope.JeffersonaimedtolimitU.S.involvementinawarbetweenBritainandFrance.Instead,criticssayheruinedtheAmericaneconomy.PortraitofJeffersonbyThomasSully,18211.egacyCriticsalsoattackedbothJeffersonzSpoliticalideasandhispersonalqualities.GeorgeWashingtonworriedthatJeffersonwouldweakenthestrongfederalgovernmenthehadworkedhardtocreate.AndevenfriendssuggestedintheirlettersthatJeffersonwastooidealistic.Jefferson,sopponentsalsoaccusedhimofnotbeingaChristian,althoughhesaidhewas.However,hedidnotbelievethegovernmentshouldmakerulesaboutreligion.Hewrotethatthegovernmentshouldworryonlyaboutactsthathurtotherpeople.Hesaiditdoesnotharmhimifhisneighborsays''thereare20godsornogods.Itneitherpicksmypocketnorbreaksmyleg.”JeffersonzSthinkingontheseparationofchurchandstateremainsimportant-andzingeneral,popular-intheU.S.today.However,JeffersonislinkedtoproblemsfacedbyNativeAmericans.HetriedtogetIndiannationstoenterintotreatiesthatultimatelytookawaytheirland.HewantedNativeAmericanstobecomemorelikeEuropean-Americans.Hispoliciesmadethemdependonthefederalgovernment.AndJeffersontooknomajoractiontoendslavery,eitherinhispersonallifeorasapublicofficial.Attheendofhislife,Jeffersonwroteproudlyabouthisaccomplishments.Hesaidhewantedtoberememberedforthreethings:writingtheDeclarationofIndependence,supportingreligiousfreedom,andcreatingtheUniversityofVirginia.Forthemostpart,heis.Jeffersonalsosupportedfreepubliceducation,especiallyforthosewhocouldnotpayforschool.ButhistimeatMonticellohadmanysorrows.HiswifezMartharhaddiedin1782afterdifficultyinchildbirth.Mostofhischildrenalsodiedbeforehim.Inaddition,thecostofimprovingandcaringforMonticellozaswellasthemoneyhespentonfinewineandgoodfood,hadruinedhimfinancially.Eventually,oneofhisdaughtershadtosellherfather'sbelovedMonticelloandtheslaveswholivedtheretopayhisdebts.Jeffersondiedinhisbedattheageof83.Thelastdetailofhislife-whichAmericanslovetotell-isthathepassedawayonAmerica'sbirthday,exactly50yearsafterthesigningoftheDeclarationofIndependence.mKellyJeanKelly.KellyJeanKellywrotethisstory.CatyWeaverandGeorgeGrowweretheeditors.DidyouenjoylearningaboutAmerica'sfounders?GiveusyoursuggestionsintheCommentsandon51VOA.COM.WordsinThisStorycontradictory-adj.involvingorhavinginformationthatdisagreeswithotherinformationsignificant-adj.largeenoughtobenoticedorhaveaneffectslippers-n.light,softshoeseasilyputonandtakenoffandwornindoorspicksmypocket-v.steals