Ben Franklin, professional wordsmith, admires the language of the Declaration, but Ben Franklin, the newspaper editor, knows that even the most carefully chosen words may only represent what one man believes, when they must represent what enough men believe that they will sign their names to it. He also knows the pain the editor's marks can bring, and so Ben Franklin, the scientist and inventor, pours the soothing balm of praising another inventor's invention on the resulting scorch marks.
Indeed. This further shows contrary to what recently has become an unfortunate spreading of misinformation in America lately. The claim that the Founding Fathers weren't concerned with stopping slavery. Most if not all of them in reality hated it, as this shows. And as you pointed out, true to Franklin's character, he expressed the need to get everyone on board. And quite frankly, the Southern Colonies at this time were wholly dependent upon slave labor for their agriculture (which wasn't a legitimate claim anymore come the Civil War - but I digress), and slavery getting confronted so directly in the draft would have been too big of a divide for agreement on the document.
@@MrWolfSnack “there were a lot of slaves perfectly happy and well off with their jobs, and well treated by the landowners…” wutttt in the everloving fk is wrong with you
@MrWolfSnack I don't think it changes the moral issue that one man owning the rights of another is still vile. Sure, your own may be kind and merciful to you, but he still owns your life and your freedom. Details that show what you've demonstrated are all well and good, but let's not muddy the perception of slavery as a whole. Most men who endorsed slavery, did so out of religious vindication and treated those they owned as being beneath them, as proclaimed by 'God' to do so via the Laws written in the Old Testiment. Progressive thinking slave owners may have had their conscious about them enough to realize that mistreating their slaves was wrong, but they still lacked the stomach and fortitude to realize that any man who oppressed another's rights and freedoms, is inherently a Monster. Period.
@@MrWolfSnack Plenty of the King's subjects in the Colonies were quite happy in their position and treated quite well by the King too. So what the fuck is your point? Was it any less necessary to declare independence? Injustice is injustice and Men are to be free. If taxation without representation is oppression worth struggling to shrug off then how is chattel slavery not even more so? Are you going to rationalize Crown Rule with such vigor? Obviously not. So why do it for slavery? A far worse institution than the rule of Great Britain over the Colonies. Intellectual dishonesty at its best, or rather worst. "Get out into the real world. Talk to your elders, listen to their stories." My elders happen to be African-American and I nor any other Black person, friend and family has ever heard or read a single word about how our ancestors enjoyed slavery or would've chosen bondage over freedom.
Benjamin Franklin chose not to write the Declaration of Independence because his "writing was not to be edited". He had Jefferson write it because he was a Southern slaver and maybe the other Southern slavers would agree to abolish slavery if the clause came from one of their own. Of course, that got deleted. On Feb. 12, 1790, Franklin submitted a bill to Congress to abolish slavery. Of course, that got voted down and it really pissed off all the Southerners including President George Washington. In the Declaration, Franklin changed Jefferson's "sacred" to "self-evident". He - the Grand Master Mason of PA - encoded self(4 letters) evident(7) along with 7/4 July 4th: GOD=7_4, G is the 7th letter, a circle O, D=4. GOD=7_4 Theory is Seal #2 of the 7seals.blogspot.com . Only the returned Christ, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein reincarnated could produce that. COVID-19 is part of Seal #4: S=19 (18.6) Theory. Donald Trump 666 is the current Antichrist and the reincarnation of King George III, Nathan Bedford Forrest and Benito Mussolini.
@@hereef1 A man can be more than 1 thing. Martin Luther King can be a spearhead for civil rights. And an adulterer and hypocritical preacher. To bring one bad to discredit the good is petty and usually not fruitful conversation. However, that leaves one to be wary of how much one reveres any man. For to do that opens you to also own that mans sins. So it's best to talk specifics.
I just ADORE Stephen Dillane’s performance in this scene as Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson of course was famously thin-skinned and over sensitive to criticism of his writing, and he captures that sentiment perfectly here. The way he paces the room nervously, then sits down in a gesture meant to show relaxed calm but which is clearly forced, and then responding to comments on his writing with short phrases in a quiet monotone. This is clearly agony for him. And it’s wonderful. As an occasional writer, I have been in this situation before and this is EXACTLY how I act when people offer even mild and constructive critiques on my writing.
3:25 Benjamin Franklin the genius diplomat. He sensed that Jefferson was disappointed in them revising his document, so he changed the subject to his chair invention. Franklin complimented Jefferson on his craftsmanship, asked him questions about it to get him on a different train of thought, and by 3:45 hes back to smiling and beaming about his innovation. Well done sir.
That's why the French loved him so much. He was a people person, carefully navigating through human emotions in order to have the best image and result (something I could never do).
Pity Franklin couldn't have managed his own son as well; his son who became a Tory, went to jail in Boston rather than fight for the revolution, kept his loyalty to King George. After Independence, he moved to the UK and never looked back at his old man.
@@meeeka But both men were devastated by this. It's what they say: everything in the world has a price, in the case of Ben, he got his independence but lost his son. And in the case of William, he showed his loyalty to Britain but lost his father.
Ben Franklin was the brains behind Independence, George Washington was the face of independence, Thomas Jefferson was the author of independence... and John Adams was the voice of independence. These three actors did a marvellous job in this scene - perfectly captured Franklins diplomatic savvy, Jefferson’s sense of unease at having his work critiqued and Adams sense of purpose.
The United States Declaration of Independence was actually inspired and influenced by the widespread publication and circulation of pamphlets of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine! Before the widespread circulation of "Common Sense", there were no Revolutionary patriots who openly advocated American Independence from British Empire! I just don't know why Thomas Paine is not considered as one of the Founders of the United States!
@@OfficialAshArcher Historically, before Common Sense no one dared speak of independence publicly. As Paine noted at the time in Crisis III, “Independence was a doctrine scarce and rare, even towards the conclusion of the year 1775…” It was merely whispered in parlor rooms, and more often denounced as traitorous. Common Sense had the effect of producing an “almost unrivaled political somersault” in transforming the attitudes in America. As Washington said, it was “working a powerful change …in the minds of many men”, not only for independence from Britain, but independence from monarchy. Gordon Wood points out a sudden and almost complete revolution in thinking towards republicanism taking place in the attitudes of the Americans in the spring of 1776.
@@OfficialAshArcher Most of the Revolutionary leaders who were in the Congress during the war rewrote their own history after the fact to fit with the myths that had been created. They scurried to lay claim on the heritage of the Declaration. Some of their memoirs contain boasts exclaiming how they supported independence before Common Sense appeared, but a quick read of what they were saying at the time refutes that. No one but Paine had the courage to stand up and proclaim it, and then to defend it in a tour de force of prose. One after another “founding father” took an opposite view of independence until Common Sense appeared. Despite John Adams’ protestations to the contrary, he never stood up and defended the necessity for independence before the appearance of Common Sense. His claim that independence was repeatedly discussed in Congress before Common Sense is his attempt to minimize Paine’s role. His dismissal of Common Sense in his memoirs as trite would be just sad if it weren’t for Pauline Maier’s use of this quote to “prove” that Common Sense should be marginalized. She even concludes from this lone quote that Congress “was already moving apace toward Independence”. Her attempts to establish Adams as the focus of all activity and wisdom requires that Paine be pushed aside, and therefore she must lay doubt on the political somersault Common Sense caused. Maier’s own facts contradict her conclusion: “But throughout 1775 every Congressional petition, address or declaration…sought a settlement of their differences with the Mother Country not Independence”. And, “Even the most radical members of Congress professed a strong preference for remaining in the empire”. And she observes that even by June of l776, the delegates “lagged behind” the people in regards to independence. Maier’s conclusion that therefore Congress was already moving apace towards independence is contradicted by facts she herself supplies. And Adams himself testifies to the importance of Common Sense in a letter in April, 1776: “…Common Sense , like a ray of revelation, has come in seasonably to clear our doubts, and to fix our choice”. Adams’ objection to Common Sense was not its call for independence, but rather its democratic foundation. Adams complains of Paine: “His plan is so democratical”. Adams knew full well the impact of Common Sense on the rapid shift towards independence, and expressed it repeatedly. His hatred for Paine, who he called the “disastrous meteor” of democracy, clouded his account of the period. It would seem that Maier falls under the same prejudice.
Poor Thomas doesn't like anyone editing his document. He sits across the room, like someone helpless, in the waiting room of an ER, hoping the surgery done on his loved one is not too severe.
Ironically Jefferson did not want to write the document. He thought that Adams would be the logical choice, but Adams admitted that Jefferson was a much better writer - and the delegates would hate any document that he wrote.
Plus if it was written solely by John, it would've made it easier for the detractors in Congress to discredit it because he'd already made a score of enemies from his outspokenness
Probably my favorite quote from John Adams. He gave three succinct reasons why Jefferson should write it. 1) He was a Virginian (the most populous colony at the time) 2) He was popular versus Adams who was not. 3) He was ten times better at writing than Adams.
Benjamin Franklin chose not to write the Declaration of Independence because his "writing was not to be edited". He had Jefferson write it because he was a Southern slaver and maybe the other Southern slavers would agree to abolish slavery if the clause came from one of their own. Of course, that got deleted. On Feb. 12, 1790, Franklin submitted a bill to Congress to abolish slavery. Of course, that got voted down and it really pissed off all the Southerners including President George Washington. Exactly 19 years later, Abraham Lincoln was born. Franklin famously believed in reincarnation. In the Declaration, Franklin changed Jefferson's "sacred" to "self-evident". He - the Grand Master Mason of PA - encoded self(4 letters) evident(7) along with 7/4 July 4th: GOD=7_4, G is the 7th letter, a circle O, D=4. GOD=7_4 Theory is Seal #2 of the 7seals.blogspot.com . Only the returned Christ, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein reincarnated could produce that. COVID-19 is part of Seal #4: S=19 (18.6) Theory. Donald Trump 666 is the current Antichrist and the reincarnation of King George III, Nathan Bedford Forrest and Benito Mussolini.
Yankee Doodle: That's WHAT HAPPENED. This series was written from John Adams's own memoirs, and he carefully described this scene in detail. Jefferson was also a very shy and quiet man, like most epic geniuses. Adams was also Jefferson's BFF pen-pal.
it's funny to think that these three geniuses are sitting in a room, reviewing the most important document in American history...and then start talking about how fun it is spinning in a swivel chair. I'm not saying that it's a completely historically accurate depiction, but it reminds you that these men, though great men, we're just dudes all the same.
Makes sense too because Franklin and Jefferson were both scientific thinkers/inventors. They'd be just the type to talk shop over something like that chair.
Dr. Franklin was the showman and politician. The French considered the Americans to be backwoodsmen. At the same time, they highly regarded Dr. Franklin for his many scientific breakthroughs and inventions. Franklin worked his way up to high society. In the series, Adams remarked that Franklin went to a taxidermist, instead of a tailor. He went about Paris wearing bearskins. It’s what the French thought of Americans. He chose to feed their stereotype. After all, the colonies in rebellion, desperately needed the help of the French. Of course we have no way of knowing, but I would not be surprised if Franklin poured compliments on Jefferson. He’s dissecting Jefferson’s writing, and I bet Jefferson, of all people, would take that seriously. At the same time, he knew they needed unity with the South. Slavery would just have to wait, or there would be no America in the first place. Adams, on the other hand, was far more direct, leading to big fights with Franklin in Europe, and the famous feud with Jefferson.
Benjamin Franklin chose not to write the Declaration of Independence because his "writing was not to be edited". He had Jefferson write it because he was a Southern slaver and maybe the other Southern slavers would agree to abolish slavery if the clause came from one of their own. Of course, that got deleted. On Feb. 12, 1790, Franklin submitted a bill to Congress to abolish slavery. Of course, that got voted down and it really pissed off all the Southerners including President George Washington. In the Declaration, Franklin changed Jefferson's "sacred" to "self-evident". He - the Grand Master Mason of PA - encoded self(4 letters) evident(7) along with 7/4 July 4th: GOD=7_4, G is the 7th letter, a circle O, D=4. GOD=7_4 Theory is Seal #2 of the 7seals.blogspot.com . Only the returned Christ, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein reincarnated could produce that. COVID-19 is part of Seal #4: S=19 (18.6) Theory. Donald Trump 666 is the current Antichrist and the reincarnation of King George III, Nathan Bedford Forrest and Benito Mussolini.
I love the personality this show gave everyone, true or not. Adams was a do gooder who seemed uncontrollably pretentious. Franklin was an eccentric old man who although wise seemed completely disinterested in politics most of the time. And Jefferson who started out as a passionate but shy man who no doubt thanks to his friendship with John, became a much more assertive equally passionate figure head. If only we had more docudramas about early American history like this.
Adams was not really a do-gooder IMO. A do-gooder never would have led a congress to defy a king. Despite his bad temper and pretentiousness, he was also a talented mediator and political centrist who most of the time tried to find a balance between conservative and liberal ideas. He failed at this when his temper and imperiousness got the better of him. His worst sin is that he held grudges, a character trait that he hated about himself. We tend to focus on the failures of Adams and forget that he was a man of conviction and principle... something sorely lacking in today's politicians.
I have always wondered what kind of president Franklin would have made, had he been younger and had the opportunity. (He died at 84, the year after the constitution was ratified.)
I loved the mini series because it really captured the humanity of the founding fathers. It did not deify them like so many of overly jingoistic pieces of media. Instead we get a clear view of both genius and the pettiness of these men. Like in this scene we can tell having his writing criticized is getting to Jefferson, he's trying to hide it but it's still clear how uncomfortable about it her is.
I agree. I am glad it showed some of the negative sides of them as well. They, we're not perfect human beings by stretch of the imagination. Adultery, lying, dirty politics, etc. But I believe they showed the good parts well
"The issue before us is independence, not emancipation." Reminds me of some advice I once received: "Answer the question asked of you no more no less."
Franklin and Jefferson were some of the few non-Orthodox believers in the Congress. As a Deist, Jefferson had chosen his words according to his own beliefs. Each of Franklin and Adams struck out certain religious language that they didn't favor in order to allow the reading of the document to better fit the religious convictions of whomever was reading it, whether Deist or Orthodox. Thus, Franklin the deist strikes out 'sacred' and Adams the orthodox believer replaced Jefferson's deist term of art 'God of Nature' with the more neutral 'Creator'.
Benjamin Franklin chose not to write the Declaration of Independence because his "writing was not to be edited". He had Jefferson write it because he was a Southern slaver and maybe the other Southern slavers would agree to abolish slavery if the clause came from one of their own. Of course, that got deleted. On Feb. 12, 1790, Franklin submitted a bill to Congress to abolish slavery. Of course, that got voted down and it really pissed off all the Southerners including President George Washington. Exactly 19 years later - the metonic cycle - Abraham Lincoln was born. Dr. Franklin the famous scientist believed in reincarnation and secretly conducted an experiment in the afterlife. One of the only 5 books that young Lincoln had access to on the Indiana frontier was Franklin's 'Autobiography'. . In the Declaration, Franklin changed Jefferson's "sacred" to "self-evident". He - the Grand Master Mason of PA - encoded self(4 letters) evident(7) along with 7/4 July 4th: GOD=7_4, G is the 7th letter, a circle O, D=4. GOD=7_4 Theory is Seal #2 of the 7seals.blogspot.com . Only the returned Christ, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein reincarnated could produce that. COVID-19 is part of Seal #4: S=19 (18.6) Theory. Donald Trump 666 is the current Antichrist and the reincarnation of King George III, Nathan Bedford Forrest and Benito Mussolini.
Jefferson: "I trully believe this document will set the foundations of our independence and...Mr.Franklin, are you listening?" Franklin: *"It spins!! WEEEEEEEEEEE---"*
Benjamin Franklin chose not to write the Declaration of Independence because his "writing was not to be edited". He had Jefferson write it because he was a Southern slaver and maybe the other Southern slavers would agree to abolish slavery if the clause came from one of their own. Of course, that got deleted. On Feb. 12, 1790, Franklin submitted a bill to Congress to abolish slavery. Of course, that got voted down and it really pissed off all the Southerners including President George Washington. Exactly 19 years later, Abraham Lincoln was born. Franklin famously believed in reincarnation. In the Declaration, Franklin changed Jefferson's "sacred" to "self-evident". He - the Grand Master Mason of PA - encoded self(4 letters) evident(7) along with 7/4 July 4th: GOD=7_4, G is the 7th letter, a circle O, D=4. GOD=7_4 Theory is Seal #2 of the 7seals.blogspot.com . Only the returned Christ, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein reincarnated could produce that. COVID-19 is part of Seal #4: S=19 (18.6) Theory. Donald Trump 666 is the current Antichrist and the reincarnation of King George III, Nathan Bedford Forrest and Benito Mussolini.
@@blllllllllllllllllllrlrlrl7059 I was with him on the first paragraph. Lost me by the 3rd. It's like he had multiple personality disorder and one of the other personalities took over about half-way through.
I am not an American, but I am deeply interested in American history. The United States Declaration of Independence was actually inspired and influenced by the widespread publication and circulation of pamphlets of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine! Before the widespread circulation of "Common Sense", there were no Revolutionary patriots who openly advocated American Independence from British Empire! I just don't know why Thomas Paine is not considered as one of the Founders of the United States!
Say what you want about his politics, but Obama was a pretty damn good writer and was, as far as politicians go today, pretty trusted amonsgst the American people, especially considering todays polarizing times. Hell... neither of the the current and previous President could barely, if at all, crack close to 50% approval, while Obama finished close to 60 %... a number I feel will be very difficult to reach again for a President in todays age, baring any type of national tragedy that might unite the nation for a few weeks (ie. Bush getting like 80% approval after 911).
Franklin’s genius is really on display in the scene, he points out not his objections but the most like the objections to the declarations wording and has the wisdom to complement the author on his chair. Brilliant
I do love this scene. Something I didn't notice on the first watch-through of the series, is the non-verbal moments of mutual respect between Adams and Jefferson. We can see here how impressed Adams is by Jefferson's skill with the written word, and the powerful sentiment expressed within the Declaration. At 3:46 when Franklin comments "Oh, most ingenious!" regarding Jefferson's creation, note Adams' glance to Jefferson as he reads the Declaration. Similarly, in the scene where Adams gives his speech in favor of independence before the Continental Congress, note how much he moves Jefferson. Jefferson initially appears a bit downcast after Dickinson expresses caution, and a bleak outlook on the future of their colonies. Adams rallies the Congress with his vision of hope, freedom, and bright futures for their countrymen and the generations to come. Jefferson listens more intently than perhaps any other delegate, his eyes never leaving Adams as he speaks. He seems almost in awe of Adams as he joins the Congress in expressing their approval afterwards. Sorry for the TL;DR post. I really love this series, and it's especially nice to revisit at the moment. Stay safe out there, my fellow countrymen.
Adams and Jefferson also both died the same day, July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Adams' last words were "Thomas Jefferson survives," but Jefferson had died a few hours earlier at Monticello.
Arguably the greatest writer of any head of state. Churchill certainly was very skilled, and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address may be the greatest short speech ever written, but Jefferson's skill surpasses them both.
@@jamesrawlins735 The United States Declaration of Independence was actually inspired and influenced by the widespread publication and circulation of pamphlets of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine! Before the widespread circulation of "Common Sense", there were no Revolutionary patriots who openly advocated American Independence from British Empire! I just don't know why Thomas Paine is not considered as one of the Founders of the United States!
@@briangoldy8784 The United States Declaration of Independence was actually inspired and influenced by the widespread publication and circulation of pamphlets of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine! Before the widespread circulation of "Common Sense", there were no Revolutionary patriots who openly advocated American Independence from British Empire! I just don't know why Thomas Paine is not considered as one of the Founders of the United States!
while making them feel good about themselves in the process. "I noticed I struck a nerve poking at your work here. Look how amazing this other thing you made is. Isn't it awesome?"
@@edvinjohnson5382 Who were British subjects. In British colonies. Might I suggest you do a Google search. Type in "Andrew Johnson slave" He is the person primarily responsible for the institution of "perpetual slavery" in North America. He was also a former slave who happened to be a black man from Angola sold to Europeans by Muslims. Enjoy the read.
@@edvinjohnson5382 Not all of them. By the time of the framing of the Constitution Franklin fought for (but lost) the inclusion of ALL people (women and non white Europeans) as part of the document that they should all have rights. However, they needed the slave holding territories to ratify the document as well and it would have fallen apart at the time if they had included everyone. It was a compromise where the ramifications are still felt today.
"Slavery is an abomination and must be loudly proclaimed as such. But, I own that neither I nor any man has any immediate solution to the problem." They knew that it was bad. But, with the number of colonists who owned slaves, better to fight one battle at a time. In this case, independence from England.
Many actually felt the problem of Slavery would solve itself, as industrial innovation would weed out Slavery over the course of a few generations. But the North developed industry far faster than the South, so rather than trying to keep up on that front, the South expanded Slavery to remain competitive in production. One of the big ironies of US history that the Founding Fathers did not (nor could they) see coming.
@@renegade637 That is an entirely different matter. Slavery in the South during the 18th and 19th Century was a matter of economics. Discrimination in the 20th and 21st Century is a matter of emotional response. There was no economical force driving discrimination through the mid 20th Century, it was entirely a matter of people believing they were better than other people. Meanwhile in the 21st, though the source of the emotion is different, the result is the same. Feeling an entire type of people are a certain way just because of the way they look, and letting that emotion create an instinctual response that black people are dangerous just because they are black. This creates a similar instinct in the police force that results in violent action rather than diffusion. There used to be a precedent in the police where because the police are trained at de-escalation, that they only use force when absolutely necessary. Somehow, somewhere along the way, that precedent has changed. Now all situations are approached with the assumption that there is imminent danger, where the life of the officer is paramount over all other considerations. Police used to risk themselves before allowing risk to fall upon others. But now, they focus entirely on reducing risk to themselves, regardless of the risk upon others. And yes, this applies to everyone, not just blacks. It is an institutional problem that must be addressed. However that instinct I mentioned earlier, where blacks are seen as more dangerous just because their black further compounds the problem. Now whenever there is a police situation, where protection of self is more important than protection of others, if a black is involved it suddenly means to approach with guns drawn, regardless of what the situation is. THAT is what the issue is. It is not about memories of Slavery, or getting even for it. It is a matter of "Please see us as people, not just a color" The sooner we acknowledge that instinct and work to weed it out, the better off we will be. As that instinct is not a matter of nature, it is a matter of what we are taught as children. And most of that teaching comes from those who lived through the fight for civil rights, and many still bitter about it. Otherwise known as indoctrination. When you are taught to see certain people differently, it becomes natural to think that way. And the more natural it feels, the more you reject any attempts to correct it, expose it, or even mention its existence.
@@edvinjohnson5382 they explained that slavery part in the video. The founding fathers where basiclly avoiding the issue hoping it was go away eventually, but it culminated in the civil warm
@@edvinjohnson5382 that's the thing he wrote all men alll men are created equal so that in the future when the right time comes slavery can be challenged in the court but unfortunately the south didn't budge and the United States entered its deadliest conflict in its history
I am not an American, but I am deeply interested in American history. The United States Declaration of Independence was actually inspired and influenced by the widespread publication and circulation of pamphlets of "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine! Before the widespread circulation of "Common Sense", there were no Revolutionary patriots who openly advocated American Independence from British Empire! I just don't know why Thomas Paine is not considered as one of the Founders of the United States!
Slavery is an abomination and must be loudly proclaimed as such. But I own that neither I nor any man has any immediate solution to the problem. Thomas Jefferson Let's stick to the subject at hand which is Independence. Benjamin Franklin I think the scene demonstrates the brilliance of these men who recognized that they should pick the battles that they could win and leave the other battles for a future time when they were ripe to be taken. How fortunate we were to have the right men doing the job at the right time. Otherwise the entire effort would have been lost.
Well stated, Bravo Zulu. I abhor those today so smugly critical of these men when the ideas they laid in this document were absolutely unheard of in their time. Nothing comes in an instant, unfortunately our society today is a combination of the simplistic and instant gratification.
Jefferson didnt believe a multi-ethnic society could work. He was scared of race war. I truly dont understand why he held this view when I'm sure he had knowledge of ancient Rome. A city in which nobles sent their children to learn at esteemed Greek schools while simultaneously holding numerous Greeks (and all other races, no discrimination) in bondage.
@@edmonddantes3640 What people also fail to consider is that all evidence at the time pointed to Slavery weeding itself out over the course of a few generations. If it was clear the problem would solve itself, then no sense aggravating the issue. What they did not consider at the time is that industrial innovation proceeded faster in the North than it did in the South, and that rather than pursuing their own innovations, the South expanded Slavery in order to remain competitive in production and trade. Then to make matters worse, when territory opened up in the West, the South felt they could have an advantage over the North, as a platoon of slaves would be fare more productive on farmland than a family of Northerners working on their own. The very idea intended to kill off Slavery over time.... only made things worse. One of the biggest unfortunate ironies of US history, and we paid a HEAVY price for it.
I wouldn’t call a guy who let six of his own children live in slavery as much of an opponent against slavery. Not to mention one that so evidently enjoyed raping young black women as much as he did.
@Chandler Burse there would have been no civil war, there would have been no Unified Colonies. The British would have made easy pickings of us in that case.
That's because Jefferson and Franklin were both inventors. Franklin was more an electrical engineer, and Jefferson was more renaissance. Adams was never very mechanical, he was more legal and political; he says this to the queen of france, telling her that he focuses on those things so his descendants can do the other things.
I haven't seen the series, but I'm just impressed with the detail of the lighting. Whether it's real or they faked it, it's filmed as if it's using natural lighting. Sometimes you've got the sun shining into the room, sometimes a cloud goes over and casts it in shade. I don't think I'd notice/care if they'd lit the room artificial and kept it constant, but noticing the changes just adds another layer of immersion.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were deists, but Benjamin Franklin was a Grand Master Mason and donated to every church and synagogue in Philadelphia. Freemasons - like Kaballists - believe in reincarnation and that the soul of Moses/GOD's 'chosen one' is reincarnated in every generation. Franklin knew he was the reincarnated Christ. He returned as Abraham Lincoln who was reincarnated as Albert Einstein. Science has now proven reincarnation - google that and see 7seals.blogspot.com . I've fulfilled the prophecy of Revelation 5:1 with cutting-edge science that reveals secrets hidden since the foundation of this world.
@@BradWatsonMiami This is all tommyrot. Franklin, at the time, was a deist, Jefferson was actually a Unitarian, although he never joined that church, and Adams was a lifelong member of the Congregationalist Church.
I love how none of his issues with the first draft were over the quality or clarity of the document, but rather with making Jefferson’s claims less bold and more palatable to his peers.
@@speakallowed8435 Im typically very individualist, but I've learned that one cannot deny the tribal persuasions of the human condition. I think we took a path that will have significant growing pains to get humanity as a whole to move past race. It's not that minorites themselves harm society, it is a currently inevitable dynamic that can happen irregardless of who the majority and minority is.
There are some on the right who believe that the United States was founded to be a Christian nation. However, that's not really true when you look at the historical evidence. They may have been devoted to the Christian faith as individuals, but it was never their intention to create a theocracy, or to ascribe any kind of religious motivation to what they were doing. Indeed, to provide a central role for religion would have been a curiously European way of doing things, in their minds, and they were definitely trying to avoid that.
@TheSmithersy : No, of course they weren't trying to create an atheist nation. Atheism was virtually inconceivable among respectable people at the time, who were generally God-fearing. However, they were trying to be as secular, or at least as non-denominational, as possible, for precisely the reasons that you stated. In Europe, official or state churches were the norm, and the Founding Fathers wanted to create a nation with religious freedom and a separation between church and state. In other words, they believed that faith was primarily a matter for individuals and not institutions, especially not rulers or governments.
Most of the founders were secular humanists. That's why they didn't want religion anywhere near government. They knew the folly of a tyrannical church with governmental powers.
One of my grandfathers, a Col. James Clarke, invented a surveyor's wheel and presented it to Mr. Jefferson at Monticello. I have a copy of the letter he sent upon receipt of the device. He was well pleased and used it often. Jefferson loved new inventions.
@@KazumiKiguma Aye. Too much trouble to list off how many greats between my ancestors and me. Always easier to just list them as great-grandfather something or other.
The actors for Adams and Jefferson are brilliant, virtually perfect. Jefferson hated to have his document edited, but more so by the rest of Congress than by these two, who he respected. Jefferson actually included several references to the evils of slavery in his Declaration, but Congress had them removed. When Virginia ceded territory north and west of the Ohio River to form a new state (Ohio), he put a motion before Congress to prohibit any new states from having slaves. It lost by one vote. If not for that vote, the Civil War might have been avoided.
Principle and idealism feel like the same thing but are quite different in fact. In the declaration, practical principles overcame Jefferson's high flying idealism for the most part. It's a lesson he learned later in life.
Which is ironic because he himself was a slave-owner and had a sexual relationship with one of his slaves, an act that we would recognize today as coercive rape. Like Adams said in a later episode, the man was a walking contradiction.
It astounds me that these men created such an amazing system of government and yet didn't put in a limit for how many years a congressman or senator could stay in office.
Washington set the precedent of stepping away after two terms, but that precedent only applied to the Executive, as the Legislature held no such standard. Further, the balance of power between the Executive and Legislature became a tug of war that would go back and forth over several generations. Sometimes the President holding sway of a capitulating Congress... and other times Congress and Captain's of Industry strong-arming fairly weak President's... back and forth.
Two different documents, written at different times, and by two different groups of people. I will grant that many of them were the same, but also many were different. The career politician did not exist at that time, indeed it took nearly a century before they started appearing.
Of course it should not astound - it was done by committee. Which means, good soul, compromises were made and everyone was more concerned about more immediate questions than the Legislative Branch - more consumed by the question of "how much power should the Federal Government actually have...?". There was a not-inconsiderable amount of shove to loaning any central authority power after, well... what had just been happening in the last couple decades of their time. Thus the system of government was a product of its time... as well as the failure of a system which had come before.
I love seeing how hard the critique of his words are to Jefferson. He clearly and obviously poured much of himself into the document, and even the most tactful editor would be hard to hear.
Jefferson wrote the Declaration coming from the Committee of Five. Benjamin Franklin had TJ write it because he was a Virginian slave-owner and because Franklin believed that his own writing wasn't to be edited. TJ's original Declaration outlawed slavery. That quickly got edited out. Franklin did famously edit Jefferson's writing by changing "sacred and undeniable" to "self-evident".
I doubt know about “quickly” because Jefferson & Adams tried to keep the slavery clause, until it was obvious it would not be accepted. (2 colonies walked out of negotiations.)
Kori Jenkins it's too expensive compared to the employable benefit. Also, colleges are up to their necks in snowflakes, and we're not talking about snowstorms. Ask the University of Missouri who lost 1000's of students after they let the snowflakes have an extended meltdown.
WIlkinson is incredible as Franklin and the dynamics happening here between the three feels so authentic. I can feel the sinking spirit of Jefferson as this gets dissected.
I think this is a great representation of who jefferson really was (assuming he is the man in the corner). He really just didnt know of a way to live without slavery. Even tho he owned slaves he wasnt thrilles about the institution of slavery as a whole
I wouldn't say he didn't know a way to "live without it," but he didn't have a realistic solution to the hole his ancestors put him in in terms of slavery. He was born a slave owner himself, but in fairness he did get the ball rolling for the civil rights of essentially many generations of unborn people in North America, and arguably beyond. No independence, no civil war, no emancipation and no chance at the mountaintop. He was one of the most important intellectuals in the history of the West, but also a human being subject to flaws and shortcomings like the rest of us.
it is one of the big unfortunate ironies of US history Many of the founding fathers felt the issue of Slavery would resolve itself, as growing innovation in industry would make Slavery dwindle down to nothing over the course of a few generations. What they didn't consider was, the North grew industrial power far faster than the South, and the South ended up having to expand Slavery in order to remain competitive. Then to make matters worse, when territory in the West opened up, the South saw they could have an advantage, as a family of Northerners building farmland could never keep up with Southerners and a platoon of Slaves. The very thing intended to weed out Slavery only made it worse. And we paid a HEAVY price for it.
*Franklin (reading):* _... that among these are life, liberty, and the pufuit of happineff?_ *Jefferson:* That's _pursuit of happiness._ *Franklin:* All your _s's_ look like _f's!_ *Jefferson (defensively):* It's stylish - it's "in," it's very "in." *Franklin (rolling eyes):* Oh, well, if it's _"in"..._
This movie along with others of significant historical reference, Washington, Lincoln and Selma, should be made required viewing in grade schools, high school levels and upon the beginning of the required studies for citizenship.
Some of the most knowledgeable and articulate people on our system of government that l've met, are those who completed the process for legal immigration into our Country. It should be the same standards taught in our schools.
The Adams estate is a mile from my house, a lot of what took place in that show took place in my neighborhood. So weird that I go to a Planet Fitness and a dunks right across the street from were he lived. Weird mix of worlds.
Notice Jefferson has two different kinds of pride he expresses. When Franklin and Adams are reading the draft of the declaration, he has a stiff, very dignified sort of pride in what he has written. But when Franklin comments on the office chair, his demeanor changes to a relaxed and cheerful kind of pride, happy that an accomplished inventor like Franklin can see the genius in it.
@Michael Martin so in other words, yes? Btw, Britain wanted to abolish slavery. So I don't think Southern states would've felt at home back in that "fold."
@@jonathanalpart7812 Britain had yet entirely dissolve ownership, and at the time was ambivalent on the issue as to the resolution of the issue. It was due to the persuasive and tireless efforts of people like William Wilberforce that dealt slavery the blow that led to its deserved end. They didn't outlaw the practice fully until 1833.
@@hippo11222 Some British would have you believe Britain never participated in slavery, or that slave holders in North America prior to 1776 were not British.
They did, but only 35mm cinema cameras existed during that time. Digital videography wouldn't be invented until the mid-1800's. That's why we're able to see footage of the Civil War in all it's glory in full HD. Unfortunately, during the late 1800's people developed the odd suspicion that film and video resulted in a drop in morality and so all of the technology was either buried, incinerated or thrown to the bottom of the ocean. Hence why footage of WW2 is mostly seen in black and white, as we had to start completely over from scratch.
@@brendafranciose7487trump fought to keep our border closed, Biden opened it wide up and is getting us into all sorts of wars. Do not even try to equate the amazing leadership of trump to that senile clown.
Fun fact: Benjamin Franklin helped spark the interest in the cryptic Jersey Devil, to satirize and pretty much make fun of Titan Leeds who said that Franklin was a fool when Franklin said he would die on a certain date. They had rival publications. So Ben Franklin would joke that titan was "surely dead" and when Titan wrote saying that he's alive and Franklin was joking, Franklin wrote that it must be Titan's "ghost" doing all the writing. So in a weird way, he was also good at trolling.
“Slavery is an abomination and must be loudly proclaimed as such, but I own that I nor any other man has any immediate solution to the problem.” -Thomas Jefferson *to the people that think America was founded to protect slavery.*
@Flávio Sousa Franklin himself was a staunch abolitionist, Jefferson blamed the brits for bringing the institution of slavery to the US, but Jeffersons major failing, and the failure of the founding fathers, was that they didn't solve the slavery question until a bloody Civil War was needed to solve it for them
@@dogguy8603 Oh the founding fathers were well aware of the evils of slavery but they needed thirteen weak colonies to stay united to survive, a significant number of influential people in those colonies owned slaves, without their support they stood no chance at all. Winning the rebellion was more pressing than solving the slavery question (at the time). Yes, unfortunately, it took 80 years and a horrific civil war to settle it.
The ONLY people that thought America was founded to protect slavery were the fucking racist, slave-owning DEMOCRATS .. Republican John Adams and Republican Benjamin Franklin hated slavery, as did all of the signers outside of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia ..
@@bradhartliep879 oh trust me i know, the south was the only reason they allowed slavery and still was the most loyal to Britain during the revolution, i still, just wish they solved the slavery question
Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father, polymath, one of America's greatest political figures. Also Benjamin Franklin in a swivel chair: OH MOST INGENIUS! I'll try spinning, that's a good trick.
This is the greatest series about John Adams I've ever seen .on that note, I always wondered, since they really wanted Adams to write the Declaration, what he would have written.
Aams was more direct and confrontational and would have based his argument entirely on english law and morality. Jefferson's idealism worked better in the end.
