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Humboldt was very impressed by them. His one beef with Jefferson was over slavery. He considered colonialism the biggest stain on humanity's record.
by artpi 5y ago
Humboldt was very impressed by them. His one beef with Jefferson was over slavery. He considered colonialism the biggest stain on humanity's record.
- hosh 5y agoHe sound like he was ahead of his time for someone from the colonial culture.
- eschulz 5y agoCertainly, but I think it's important to consider that the Prussian landed gentry did not utilize slaves as did the land owners of Jefferson's fellow Virginians. Jefferson's writing often show someone ahead of his time, but his actions contradicted them in many ways since he was clearly addicted to the financial security of slavery (he also owed a lot of money throughout his life). Von Humboldt had no such ties to slavery in his affairs or those of his family or Prussian neighbors.