Age of Jefferson

Jefferson believed that the most virtues and loyal people to the government were farmers. Jefferson says that when people are in a big city people go crazy and become corrupt from one another, he believes that is what happened in Europe. This was interesting to me because I feel like farmers and people out of the city don't care as much about government because they are not exposed to it every day like people in big cities are. So of course people don't have a whole lot of bad things to say about the government if they are not exposed to it every day and hearing the negativity of it every day like those in big cities.
Also in this chapter we read about one of Jeffersons slaves Sally Hemings who is rumored to be Jeffersons mistress. I had never heard anything like this about Jefferson before so it was kind of shocking to me that in a time of slavery and serious racism that a powerful leader would involve himself with a women of color. There is no evidence of it being true but if it is that would be very shocking.

Chapter 6

This chapter was interesting to me because for the first time in all our readings so far Americans are making progress to gain freedom from Britain. I found it very interesting that Americans teamed up with France and became allies with them. This was interesting because the French once fought for American land but now just want to take down the British. Also in this chapter women are becoming more heard about in history. Women serve a point in the war and care for the men fighting by feeding,laundering and nursing soldiers. This is also the first time we see women fighting for more rights. Abigail Adams writes about how she wants more of a voice but her husband ignores her plea. She then said that property will remain in mans power because that is what authority says. This was really interesting to me because women wanted more rights this far back in history and still women continue today to fight for more rights.

September 15th

“In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology, there were no kings; the consequence of which was there were no wars; it is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion.” 
― Thomas Paine, Common Sense

I found this quote really interesting. Back in times where there were no kings or people of power their is no history really of war or violence like there is now and in the time era we are reading about. Before America was taken over by the Europeans the Native Americans lived much more peacefully and didn't think to cause wars or betrayal with one another. Once the British had so much power over the states, the power went to their heads and they became almost greedy wanting more and more power and advantages because they had the power to. I can understand why the colonist became so angry and violent towards the government because they were not treated fairly. It would be interesting to see what the world would be like if their was no government or anyone who controlled us now because the government does do a lot of good in our country and we have say in our government for the most part. but in countries like China where it is Communist I wonder what if would be like if they didn't have anyone to control them anymore, what would it be like.

Chapter 5

After reading chapter 5 i have become completely shocked in the british. It amazed me that they went to so much effort to get money from the colonist to help them get over their debt. They made so many attempts to control the colonists and get more money from them. Even though the colonists were fighting back the British still would keep showing their power over them and set up more laws. Things really started to heat up around the Boston Massacre when the colonist faced the British for the first time but failed and lost 5 colonists. After that the British still continued to make laws that made the colonists even more mad. The Tea Act was the last straw for the colonists because they shortly after went to the harbors and destroyed all the tea that had been shipped in by the British. I enjoyed reading this chapter because i have heard and read about it so many times but this is the first time i think i really understand why all the events that took place did.

chapter 3

In this chapter I read all sorts of interesting information, but what stood out to me the most was the part about women in Chesapeake Bay. I found it very interesting that the male to female ratio was so low that men had a really time finding brides, so many women from lower statuses were actually able to marry into higher class. Many men also wrote in the will that if they were to die that women would inherit their estate. I found this so interesting because all throughout history you read a lot about how women have little to no rights and for many years women could not own land so I thought it was really interesting that women in Chesapeake Bay in this time could. I also found it interesting how slavery changed over the years in Chesapeake Bay. In the beginning not every slave was a slave for life, a slave could gain freedom and some even owned land. Later a law was placed which stated that slavery was lifelong and inherited based on ones skin color. Slavery only happened to blacks or indians, whites would never enslave their own colored people. When slavery first began, their were fewer then one thousands slaves but as the slave industry grew there were approximately twelve thousand slaves making them one fourth of the population in Chesapeake Bay. The was amazing to me how slavery became so big so fast.