Jefferson's Slavery Paradox
Jefferson viewed himself as a benevolent patriarch, feeling a sense of responsibility towards the enslaved individuals on his estate. He believed in using incentives over punishment, seeing this approach as a way to be a "better" slaveholder, which ultimately diminished the urgency to end slavery. His complex relationships with the Hemings family further illustrate the contradictions in his actions and beliefs regarding slavery.In this clip
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Hidden Brain
A Founding Contradiction
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