In Thomas Jefferson's time, white Americans were bedeviled by a
moral dilemma unyielding to reason and sentiment: what to do about
the presence of black slaves and free Indians. That Jefferson
himself was caught between his own soaring rhetoric and private
behavior toward blacks has long been known. But the tortured
duality of his attitude toward Indians is only now being unearthed.
In this landmark history, Anthony Wallace takes us on a tour of
discovery to unexplored regions of Jefferson's mind. There, the
bookish Enlightenment scholar--collector of Indian vocabularies,
excavator of ancient burial mounds, chronicler of the eloquence of
America's native peoples, and mourner of their tragic fate--sits
uncomfortably close to Jefferson the imperialist and architect of
Indian removal. Impelled by the necessity of expanding his agrarian
republic, he became adept at putting a philosophical gloss on his
policy of encroachment, threats of war, and forced land cessions--a
policy that led, eventually, to cultural genocide.
In this compelling narrative, we see how Jefferson's close
relationships with frontier fighters and Indian agents, land
speculators and intrepid explorers, European travelers, missionary
scholars, and the chiefs of many Indian nations all complicated his
views of the rights and claims of the first Americans. Lavishly
illustrated with scenes and portraits from the period, "Jefferson
and the Indians" adds a troubled dimension to one of the most
enigmatic figures of American history, and to one of its most
shameful legacies.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
