Notes on the State of Virginia

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by Thomas Jefferson

‘'Thomas Jefferson’’’s Notes on the State of Virginia originated in 1780 when ‘'Franҫois Barbé Marbois’’, the Secretary of the French Legation, distributed a list of questions to a number of different Americans from several states.[1] One of these individuals was Thomas Jefferson and his responses to Marbois’ questions initiated one of the canonical pieces of American scholarship and Jefferson’s only published work.[2]

Jefferson sent his answers to Marbois in 1781, but he continued to expand upon his responses for several more years.</ref>Ibid.</ref> Aside from Jefferson’s desire to put his thoughts about his home state in writing and answer Marbois’ questions, his motivation was to dispel the theories of the ‘'Comte de Buffon’’ and ‘'Guillaume Raynal’’.[3] These French thinkers had hypothesized about the degeneracy of animal and intellectual life in America and Jefferson greatly disagreed with their ideas.[4] Thus, Jefferson’s Notes is full of optimism regarding the future of the country and the potential for its industries.[5] However, the work is not devoid of criticism or misgivings as Jefferson worried about slavery, the government of his home state, and American society in general.[6] He was particularly concerned that Americans would become overly dependent on the manufacturing sector, a trend that he noticed in Europe and sought to avoid.[7]

In 1785, Jefferson published 200 copies of Notes on the State of Virginia in France and at his own expense.[8] Of these, he sent 10 to some of his close friends in Virginia, including George Wythe, and an additional 37 copies for “such young gentlemen of the college [William & Mary] as Mr. Wythe from time to time shall think proper.”[9] Some have posited that Jefferson did not initially widely distribute his work because he feared repercussion from his candid thoughts.[10] For this reason, he only wanted it distributed among his close friends and enlightened students at William & Mary.[11] In 1787, Jefferson allowed the publication of an expanded version of his work for the general public.[12]

The work itself touches on a wide range of topics and reflects Jefferson’s broad range of knowledge and interests[13]. In it, Jefferson discusses topography, geology, biography, law, government, commerce, culture, scholarship, military, religion, and history.[14] The work demonstrates the author’s ability to reason through arguments as he contemplates why marine fossils exist at high elevations, the continent from which American natives originated, and what type of animal produced the tusks and over-sized molars found on the Ohio River.[15] In discussing theories, Jefferson acknowledged that "[i]gnorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong."[16] (Page 33) The manner in which Jefferson reasons is consistent with his belief that "science and the scientific method held the keys to learning and education in the broadest sense."[17] It was this worldview that enabled Jefferson to produce a book, "unpretentious in form and statistical in character," that remains an important work to this day.[18]

Although Jefferson was ahead of his era in some respects, he did not share the same forward-thinking with regards to African-American slaves. Although he wanted to declare the slaves free and independent he did not want them to co-exist with whites.[19] Instead, he wanted to colonize them in a different location.[20] This was because he viewed them as racially inferior to whites, and Notes outlines the differences he perceived in physical ability, intellect, and anatomy.[21] (148-155). At times, he compares them to domesticated animals.[22]

Jefferson’s Notes came at a time of change in Jefferson’s life, as he published them shortly after his wife died and before he resumed his public career.[23] Notes reflects "Jefferson’s hopes and fears for the ultimate outcome of the American War of Independence."[24] In addition, the work "laid the foundations of Jefferson’s high contemporary reputation as a universal scholar and of his present fame as a pioneer American scientist."[25]


References

  1. ↑ Massachusetts Historical Society, ‘'Notes on the State of Virginia,’’ accessed October 16, 2014.
  2. ↑ Ibid.
  3. ↑ Dumas Malone, ‘'Thomas Jefferson’’ in vol. V, part 2 of Dictionary of American Biography ed. Dumas Malone (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1961), 21.
  4. ↑ Ibid.
  5. ↑ Ibid.
  6. ↑ Ibid.
  7. ↑ P.S. Onuf, ‘'Jefferson, Thomas,’’ accessed October 16, 2014.
  8. ↑ Massachusetts Historical Society, ‘'Notes on the State of Virginia,’’ accessed October 16, 2014.
  9. ↑ Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 16 September 1787, National Archive
  10. ↑ P.S. Onuf, ‘'Jefferson, Thomas,’’ accessed October 16, 2014.
  11. ↑ Ibid.
  12. ↑ Massachusetts Historical Society, ‘'Notes on the State of Virginia,’’ accessed October 16, 2014.
  13. ↑ Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia (J.W. Randolph, 1853)
  14. ↑ Ibid.
  15. ↑ Ibid.
  16. ↑ Ibid. 33
  17. ↑ Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson, accessed October 16, 2014.
  18. ↑ Dumas Malone, ‘'Thomas Jefferson’’ in vol. V, part 2 of Dictionary of American Biography ed. Dumas Malone (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1961), 21.
  19. ↑ Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia (J.W. Randolph, 1853), 155.
  20. ↑ Ibid.148-49
  21. ↑ Ibid. 148-55.
  22. ↑ Ibid. 150.
  23. ↑ P.S. Onuf, ‘'Jefferson, Thomas,’’ accessed October 16, 2014.
  24. ↑ Ibid.
  25. ↑ Dumas Malone, ‘'Thomas Jefferson’’ in vol. V, part 2 of Dictionary of American Biography ed. Dumas Malone (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1961), 21.
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