Thomas Jefferson is a man who really needs no introduction. He was recognized as a brilliant writer and was responsible for drafting the Declaration of Independence. Congress officially approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Jefferson owned many slaves who worked for him. He often even sold his slaves to buy others. Why then would he have written in the Declaration of Independence: “all men are created equal”? Is it possible that Thomas Jefferson was a hypocrite and only wrote what people wanted to see? Did Thomas Jefferson enjoy owning slaves, just like his other wealthy peers? Neither is true. Thomas Jefferson believed that slavery was morally wrong and should be abolished. We'll take a closer look at Thomas Jefferson and his days of slave ownership. We'll discuss how Jefferson came to own slaves, how he tried to help them overcome slavery, and what he would do while in office or in politics to free them. Many citizens did not realize that Jefferson owned slaves by inheritance and that Virginia law would prohibit him from freeing them. Since Jefferson owned land, he needed cheap labor to work his land and make it as productive as possible. Without slave labor, he would not have been able to afford his housing, land, and lifestyle. At that time, owning slaves was an economic decision. Without slaves, poor whites would have to provide the cheap labor so necessary to grow tobacco and rice, and their low wages would prevent them from ever owning property. (Kennedy, 2010) Thomas Jefferson's father owned many slaves that would be passed to him upon his father's death. Throughout his life, Jefferson struggled with a level of debt that would not be enough to support them to the best of their abilities. He actually wrote: “All men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence. He was known for his efforts and dedication to changing the way people viewed slavery. It was a struggle throughout his tenure to abolish slavery, but as history shows, it paved the way for many more of our leaders to build on. Works Cited Kennedy, D.M. (2010). The American competition. Boston: Wadsworth.Post, DG (2001, 07 02). Temple University. Retrieved July 7, 2010 from Fitly Spoken: http://www.temple.edu/lawschool/dpost/slavery.PDF Welling, GM (2005, 11 07). From revolution to reconstruction. Retrieved July 7, 2010 from From Revolution to Reconstruction: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/P/tj3/writings/slavery.htm Wilson, DL (1992). Thomas Jefferson and the Question of Character. The Atlantic Monthly , 270 (5), 57-74.