In1784,fiveyearsbeforehebecamepresidentoftheUnitedStates,GeorgeWashington,52,wasnearlytoothless.Sohehiredadentisttotransplantnineteethintohisjaw-havingextractedthemfromthemouthsofhisslaves. That'safardifferentimagefromthecherry-tree-choppingGeorgemostpeoplerememberfromtheirhistorybooks.Butrecently,manyhistorianshavebeguntofocusontherolesslaveryplayedinthelivesofthefoundinggeneration.TheyhavebeenspurredinpartbyDNAevidencemadeavailablein1998,whichalmostcertainlyprovedThomasJeffersonhadfatheredatleastonechildwithhisslaveSallyHemings.Andonlyoverthepast30yearshavescholarsexaminedhistoryfromthebottomup.Worksofseveralhistoriansrevealthemoralcompromisesmadebythenation'searlyleadersandthefragilenatureofthecountry'sinfancy.Moresignificantly,theyarguethatmanyoftheFoundingFathersknewslaverywaswrong-andyetmostdidlittletofightit. Morethananything,thehistorianssay,thefounderswerehamperedbythecultureoftheirtime.WhileWashingtonandJeffersonprivatelyexpresseddistasteforslavery,theyalsounderstoodthatitwaspartofthepoliticalandeconomicbedrockofthecountrytheyhelpedtocreate. Foronething,theSouthcouldnotaffordtopartwithitsslaves.Owningslaveswas"likehavingalargebankaccount,"saysWiencek,authorofAnImperfectGod:GeorgeWashington,HisSlaves,andTheCreationofAmerica.ThesouthernstateswouldnothavesignedtheConstitutionwithoutprotectionsforthe"peculiarinstitution,"includingaclausethatcountedaslaveasthreefifthsofamanforpurposesofcongressionalrepresentation. Andthestatesmen'spoliticallivesdependedonslavery.Thethree-fifthsformulahandedJeffersonhisnarrowvictoryinthepresidentialelectionof1800byinflatingthevotesofthesouthernstatesintheElectoralCollege.Onceinoffice,JeffersonextendedslaverywiththeLouisianaPurchasein1803;thenewlandwascarvedinto13states,includingthreeslavestates. Still,JeffersonfreedHemings'schildren-thoughnotHemingsherselforhisapproximately150otherslaves.Washington,whohadbeguntobelievethatallmenwerecreatedequalafterobservingthebraveryoftheblacksoldiersduringtheRevolutionaryWar,overcamethestrongoppositionofhisrelativestogranthisslavestheirfreedominhiswill.Onlyadecadeearlier,suchanactwouldhaverequiredlegislativeapprovalinVirginia. GeorgeWashington'sdentalsurgeryismentionedto__
A.show the primitive medical practice in the past B.demonstrate the cruelty of slavery in his days C.stress the role of slaves in the U.S. history D.reveal some unknown aspect of his life正确答案D