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Primary sources display nuances and complexities in history that are taken for granted when studying the past. Historical actors often take on narratives and become pigeonholed by researchers looking to confirm their own biases. The late 18th century is a good example of these dynamic modes of thought due to the revolutionary nature of prominent states. France, America, and Haiti all underwent revolutions during that time that presented the challenge of balancing new ideas of democratic representation and a tyranny of the majority.
Thomas Jefferson specifically is a historical agent who is commonly seen as a genocidal sociopath. Jefferson telling Marquis de Lafayette that he “sincerely” wishes for the restoration of “the Blacks,” could pose a problem for a person who already has their mind made up on Americas 3rd president. Was Jefferson simply playing the hand he was dealt? Did he have a sympathetic side that he could not show for political reasons? Or was he simply part of an emerging aristocratic class whose dependence relied on rhetoric concerned with liberty and human rights in congruence with the extinction of Indian populations and free black labor.
As God fearing Americans how can we possibly accept the idea of Paul Revere being anything other than the hero on the horse who warned people of an impending British presence? The idea of his publications being simply war propaganda seems blasphemous. The Beastie Boys did not write their iconic song, named after Revere himself, for the man to be slandered by modern day “intellectuals” and “academics.” Sometimes, however, you have to call a spade a spade (intentionally ironic and possibly problematic? You be the judge,) and acknowledge that primary historical sources, placed in context with credible modern research, can illuminate history’s deafening silences.
Kyle Kelsay is right when he says, “Americans wanted to create their own identity because they did not want to be like the British sibling in North America which resulted in unity within Americans in communities, religion, and economics.” Sometimes they did it like this, sometimes they did it like that, and sometimes they did it with a wiffle ball bat. Individual motives behind specific actions throughout history rely on an objective combination of first hand accounts and fact based arguments.
-Vince