He believed that “all men are created equal” and are born with unalienable rights, but are all men really created equal. Due to the time period in which Jefferson was in office, it would be safe to assume he most likely followed in the path of prejudice at the time. During this time period, rights would have only been given to white, land-owning men, so when Jefferson says “all men are created equal”, it is not meant literally. It’s not a phrase of equality, it’s a declaration of superiority amongst men. However, this did not stop women and people of color from citing this phrase as a way of fighting for their rightful place in society and for their rights as citizens of a society rather than just pawns and possessions.
