Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia, written in 1785 as a response to questions from French diplomat François Barbé-Marbois, serves as a comprehensive examination of Virginia's geography, governance, and societal issues. Jefferson addresses slavery and articulates a view of White superiority over Black individuals, which garnered both attention and criticism. The work consists of structured responses to Barbé-Marbois's inquiries, detailing Virginia's physical features, commerce, and laws while reflecting 18th-century attitudes toward race and the capabilities of Black individuals, particularly dismissing poet Phillis Wheatley's work as mere imitation.
Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, written in response to queries about the state, famously critiques slavery, asserting White supremacy over Black individuals in various ways.
As governor of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson composed Notes on the State of Virginia, addressing queries by French diplomat Barbé-Marbois, covering geography, governance, and notable societal issues including slavery.
Collection
[
|
...
]