@purplepumpkin
I feel a lot of the current zeitgeist here in the US is either wholly pro or anti USA. So when I see a post like this I wish to convey a more concise and less politically charged context to historical events and peoples. I feel the nation needs more understanding and discussion but by and large most people wish to live within their own echo chambers that removes any and all admissions that the other side could potentially have a point in any given discussion. It's honestly sad to see and I apologize if the above post or this one rambled on too much.

In order to cover his debt his remaining 130 slaves, upon the death of his wife, were sold to various plantations.
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This being the reality of the situation it's hard, if not impossible, for anyone to defend his contradictions so I will not do so nor do I want to. Jefferson did a lot of good in creating the United States but he as an individual was flawed and at fault for his actions. He was a product of his time. I support the words and founding of this nation by Jefferson and the other founding fathers but his actions are abhorrent. I don't believe that Jefferson nor any founding father should be wholly venerated nor should they be wholly vilified for any of their actions. In conclusion Jefferson was hypocritical in his approach to the slavery question but so was most people of his day. We as a people should acknowledge the past for what it was but not delve on it too much as we are by far better than many of the individuals we came from.

What Jefferson and other like minded individuals wanted to do was slowly assimilate slaves into society so that upon emancipation the former slave wasn't left to fend for themselves, as they would be left in a world with little protection from prejudices or other forms of degradation. One of the ideas floated was to train the enslaved in trade work so that upon emancipation they could move around to find a home and become a key part of whatever society they had become part of.
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Now comes the reality of Jefferson and his actions as opposed to his philosophy on the subject. Jefferson, as far as I have read, owned throughout his lifetime 600 slaves. Of those 600 Jefferson freed around 10-12 of his slaves. Most of which were the children and mother of his children bore from his extra marital affair with one of his slaves. Jefferson like many land owners of early America was heavily in debt.

It's people who look at history strictly through a modern lense. They cannot fathom how the progression of history doesn't happen all at once but rather over time.

You right you right

My addiction has only just receded. You have now convinced me to sink another 5 years into the game

I'm still here lol just don't have much to comment on currently

Martin Luther, father of the protestant reformation. Not Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Preacher/civil rights activist.

You're misconstruing what the post is about. As with most soldiers of most wars. The reason a soldier fights is up to the individual. Now more often then not why they're fighting comes down to whatever propaganda is being shoved down their throats. This post isn't an attack on the confederate soldiers but a confrontation on their belief of it being a justified war.

What did they fight and die for then?

Alsace-Lorraine is French. Elsass-Lothrigen is the German name for the same region. We refer to it as Alsace-Lorraine therefore it is French.

Can you elaborate on that? Slavery was a contentious issue even amongst the colonial governments before the US existed. As far as I can find at the onset of the US there were 5 free states and 8 slave states.