Please respond to this post by class on Monday 2/11. Enjoy the weekend! -- EJOlson
Explain what Jefferson meant when he asserted that "the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." What is the meaning of this statement for the current generation of Americans?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
This quote by Jefferson reflects the ideas of John Locke in that revolution was not only a right but often an obligation and liberties have to be fought for.This statement means for the current generation of Americans is that liberties need to be protected, and that the founding fathers were fighting for their liberties. This generation ought to know that this can also reflect how other nations react to tyranny and repression.
He was trying to say that we need to remember that we must defend our right for liberty in this country; that the generations to come must stand up and make sure that our liberty is not taken away from us. We also need to remember that our founding fathers were fighting to protect this right.
Like the others have said, Jefferson recognized that in the future Americans would again have to stand up for their rights and liberties. He didn't want everything that the colonists and early Americans had fought for to be in vain or to be short lived. When our liberties are in danger we need to speak up and fight for them.
Jefferson's quote reflects the view that one must fight for their freedom. The Americans who fought for the right to a free country had intentions that the obligation would be kept for future generations. The founding fathers fought to make America what it is today and the current generation of Americans should remember that when they have the opportunity to stand up for their rights as an American. Jefferson would have wanted this generation of Americans to understand their civil duty to stand up for what America stands for.
Jefferson's quote suggest that we must be willing to fight for, even die for, what we believe in, which, for them, was individual liberty. He knew that our liberties could be attacked in the future, so he thought it was necessary to state that we must stand up for them.
Ryan: what jefferson had meant when he said, that from time to time things have to be refreshened by blood, that to keep the government correctly controled by the people, in a sence, because if the government was not supporting what the citiezens felt, and were being controled by the government then they would get up and revolt against it. in doing so some citizens and other government officials would probably die along with others that supported a new system that would support them. we must fight to keep our liberties, for our ancestors had fought to keep them, it is our turn, now, to take a stand and fight.
The founding fathers did their best to stop power from being too centralized through checks and balances, but Jefferson rationally understood government, and knew that as in all governments, some corruption would occur in the new republic. Tyrants would emerge, and Jefferson felt that people should never fear rising against the government (in did, he felt they should be the government) if their liberties were on the line. To Jefferson, the struggle for freedom would be an everlasting dilema.
Post a Comment