Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia makes a bold effort at challenged the previous accepted notions of difference in the races as purely nature caused, or genetic, and forces his peers to face their own ideas of difference between races, and how much accuracy their is behind their previous theories that had been accepted as social norms and scientific facts. It is interesting to think of Jefferson's audience, the British elite, and how they would receive his notes about the North American colonies. His audience probably thought that his new theories were some what audacious. Jefferson believes that the Indians the the Europeans are different only because of the environment in which they live. He claims that the Indians would be just as thriving of a race as the whites had they the same opportunities that were granted to the white people. This probably caused much controversiy among his peers.
His notes make strong suggestions that question his societies ideals of superiorty and inequality among races. Jefferson offers advising for how to help the Indian's "better" their lives. I find it fascinating that he thinks that the natives need to better their lives. He fails to note the well organized and civilized societies that the natives already have in place, although they are different from the European life.