Throughout this course we have learned about slavery and its effects on our country and African Americans. Slavery and racism were prevalent throughout the Americas before, during, and after the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Some people say that Jefferson did little to end slavery in the United States. I feel very differently and I will explain why throughout this essay. Throughout this essay, I will explain how conceptions of race changed in the United States after the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, and how the events of the Jeffersonian era set the stage for race relations in the 19th century. "No one wishes more ardently to see an abolition, not only of commerce, but of the condition of slavery; and certainly, no one will be more willing to accept all sacrifices for this objective. (Thomas Jefferson to Brissot de Warville, 1788 . ME 6:428) Thomas Jefferson said this to Brissot de Warville in 1788 to explain his views on slavery in the United States. It was both positive and negative for Thomas Jefferson, in many ways. He was very positive in favor of the abolition of slavery in the United States, as Jefferson declared that he would do anything to end slavery and the slave trade in the United States Thomas. Jefferson had a theory that the United States could use part of the African coast and that it would be used as a settlement where African Americans who were in the states would be relocated. Jefferson saw this as the best way to resolve the problem. problem of slavery. Jefferson thinks this is a good idea because when African Americans returned to Africa, they would take the things they learned while they were slaves here and bring them back to Africa. Thomas Jefferson saw this as retribution against African Americans for all that... middle of paper ... now that slavery would have torn our great country into two camps, one for slavery and the other against slavery. He knew that our country would not have survived because there was slavery and through his speech, he shows it. Throughout this essay, I explained the film Amistad and how race relations were seen throughout the film. This film really helps people understand how horrible the situation was for African Americans in 1839-1842. The film showed this country's prejudice against the people of Africa and the horror with which our country treated slaves. In John Quince Adams' speech, it was explained how the problem was going to be resolved, and that was through a civil war. modules/jeffersonian_era/index.cfmhttp://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1290.htmhttp://www.american.edu/TED/slave.htm