什麼是傑佛遜

Jefferson, Thomas

美國第三任總統（1801～1809）。出生於維吉尼亞州夏德威爾，1767年成為一個種植園園主及律師，也是一個反對奴隸制度的蓄奴主。1769～1775年擔任移民議會委員，他與李（R. H. Lee）、亨利創辦了通訊委員會（1773）。1774年撰寫了具有影響力的《英屬美利堅權利概觀》，陳述了英國議會根本無權為殖民地立法的論點。後來代表出席第二屆大陸會議，被指派為起草「獨立宣言」的委員會成員，併成為主要的起草人。1779～1781年擔任維吉尼亞州州長，但在1780～1781年冬英軍入侵維吉尼亞時，傑佛遜未能有效地抵抗。他因受到批評而辭職，決心離羣索居以終老。但在1783～1785年再度擔任維吉尼亞代表出席大陸會議，他所提的土地條款後來被併入1787年的「西北法令」。後來出使歐洲，成為美國常駐法國政府公使（1785～1789）。1790年華盛頓請他擔任國務卿（至1793年），不久因對憲法的詮釋不同而與財政部長漢彌爾頓發生爭論。此導致了黨派之間的分裂，傑佛遜代表了民主共和黨。1797～1801年成為副總統，但他反對總統約翰.亞當斯制定的「客籍法和鎮壓叛亂法」（1798）。根據這種反對的立場，他起草了「維吉尼亞和肯塔基決議」之一。1800年傑佛遜和伯爾一同代表共和黨競選總統獲勝，但當初並未説明誰當總統，因而相持不下。1801年眾議院決定由傑佛遜當總統，伯爾為副總統。就任後，開始緊縮財政和簡化總統在儀式上的職務。他也致力於清還公債。傑佛遜指導了路易斯安那購地案，並授權路易斯和克拉克遠征。他為了避免捲入拿破崙戰爭而簽署了「禁運法」。退休後，到蒙提薩羅的種植園過着隱居生活，追求他在科學、哲學和建築方面的廣泛興趣。1797～1805年曾擔任美國哲學協會的主席，1819年建立並設計了維吉尼亞大學。2000年1月，湯瑪斯.傑佛遜紀念基金會接受一項根據DNA檢測的證據所下的結論，傑佛遜與他的黑奴管家莎莉.海明斯至少生了一個孩子（可能多至六個孩子）。傑佛遜在與亞當斯交惡一段長時期後，於1813年和解，並常交換對國家議題的看法，對許多創始人的人生觀有所啟發。他們一同在1826年7月4日過世，正逢美國簽署「獨立宣言」的五十週年慶。

1743～1826年

Jefferson, Thomas

Third president of the U.S. (1801-9). Born in Shadwell, Virginia, he was a planter and lawyer from 1767, as well as a slaveholder who opposed slavery. While a member of the House of Burgesses (1769-75), he initiated the Committee of Correspondence (1773) with Richard Henry Lee and Patrick Henry. In 1774 he wrote the influential [work]Summary View of the Rights of British America, stating that the British Parliament had no authority to legislate for the colonies. A delegate to the second Continental Congress, he was appointed to the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence and became its primary author. He was elected governor of Virginia (1779-81) but was unable to organize effective opposition when British forces invaded the colony (1780-81). Criticized for his conduct, he retired, vowing to remain a private citizen. Again a member of the Continental Congress (1783-85), he proposed territorial provisions later incorporated in the Northwest Ordinances. He traveled in Europe on diplomatic missions and became U.S. minister to France (1785-89). George Washington made him secretary of state (1790-93). He soon became embroiled in conflict with Alexander Hamilton over their opposing interpretations of the Constitution. This led to the rise of factions and political parties, with Jefferson representing the Democratic-Republicans. He served as vice president (1797-1801) but opposed the Alien and Sedition Acts enacted under President John Adams. As part of this opposition, Jefferson drafted one of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. In 1801 he became president after an electoral-vote tie with Aaron Burr was settled by the U.S. House of Representatives. Jefferson initiated frugal fiscal policies and simplicity in the ceremonial role of the president. He also sought to pay off the national debt. He oversaw the Louisiana Purchase and authorized the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He sought to avoid involvement in the Napoleonic Wars by signing the Embargo Act. He retired to his plantation, Monticello, where he pursued his many interests in science, philosophy, and architecture. He served as president of the American Philosophical Society 1797-1815, and in 1819 founded and designed the University of Virginia. In January 2000, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation accepted the conclusion, supported by DNA evidence, that Jefferson had fathered at least one, and perhaps as many as six, children with Sally Hemings, one of his house slaves. After a long estrangement, he and Adams became reconciled in 1813 and exchanged views on national issues that illuminated much of the founders' philosophies. They both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.