2. Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, enslaved over 600 individuals throughout his life. At Monticello, his 5,000-acre plantation, approximately 400 men, women, and children lived in bondage. Their labor was essential in constructing and maintaining the estate, cultivating crops, and supporting Jefferson’s daily life. Additionally, Jefferson profited by selling enslaved individuals to settle debts, highlighting the economic reliance on slavery (monticello.org).
