The Early American Temples To Democracy Were Only Possible Because Of… Slave Labor

The uplifting symbolic content of civic buildings such as the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond or the University of Virginia in Charlottesville came at the expense of human freedom, as slave labor was responsible for both. How could Jefferson countenance the use of slaves in the construction of a democratic architecture? The obvious answer: money. Much could be saved with enslaved labor, and more could be made by owners who rented slaves out. – Metropolis