Preview

Benjamin Banneker's Letter To Thomas Jefferson

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
334 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Benjamin Banneker's Letter To Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Banneker is a very passionate man when it comes to racial issues. In fact, he, himself was the son of a slave, which would indicate that he was a man who has experienced racial complications. Banneker (once educated), decided to become an advocate for racial freedom and equality. Mr. Banneker wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson in hopes of persuading him to rethink the government’s position on slavery. In the letter Banneker uses allusions, repetition, religious diction, and pathos in his writing in hopes to evoke a change in the hypocrisy the colonists’ government has proven to be. Banneker uses a couple allusions to help persuade Jefferson to rethink slavery in the states. Mr. Banneker alludes to the Declaration of Independence

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Son of a former slave, farmer, astronomer, mathematician, surveyor, and author Benjamin Banneker in his letter to Thomas Jefferson, a mournful way to declare his knowledge towards the slaves in the United States. Banneker’s purpose is to justify the ways of living of the slaves. He adopts an aggravated tone in order to forebode in his letter. Banneker achieves his tone through the use of selection of details and syntax.…

    • 197 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Benjamin Banneker wrote this letter to attempt to make the Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, aware of the oppressive and horrifying nature of the slave trade that Banneker's ancestors had been in for generations. Banneker uses tone, ethos, logos, pathos, syntax, juxtaposition, and scheme to sympathize with Jefferson about former hardships to perhaps reach common ground. The tone of the letter is elevated and sympathetic, the sympathetic tone appealing to the pathos of the reader, in this case Thomas Jefferson and the elevated tone appealing to the ethos of the reader.…

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Takaki’s main comparison between the language Thomas Jefferson used when referring to and treating the black Americans was the same as when the first settlers referred to as the Indians and the Irish. Calling them libidinous, lazy and demonic. Black represented all things bad, wicked, unclean and deadly…

    • 392 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Benjamin Banneker, a well educated man, wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1791 arguing against slavery. Banneker uses several rhetorical techniques including tone, allusion, diction, ethos, pathos, and counterargument to make his position of the given subject clear and to make Mr. Jefferson change his own opinion about slavery.…

    • 387 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Benjamin Banneker’s writing to Thomas Jefferson suggests his dissatisfaction towards Jefferson’s actions and hypocrisy towards slavery. Banneker’s purpose seems to critique Jefferson in the form of bitter tone and examination of his ideals and actions. Banneker conveys a bitter tone in order to assert his claims towards Jefferson. In his letter, Banneker shows distinct irony, political diction and a somewhat mocking tone to imply the discontent he feels in regards to the issue of slavery.…

    • 393 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In a letter to Thomas Jefferson an advocate for slavery and framer of “The Declaration of Independence”; author, astronomer, mathematician, farmer, and the son of former slaves, Benjamin Banneker addresses the oppressive and horrifying nature of the slave trade that Banneker's ancestors had been in for generations. In this letter, Banneker exposes the cruelty slaves endeavored while expanding on the rights that were taken from his people, thus creating an elevated and sympathetic tone in which he builds his credibility to gain sympathy from Jefferson about former hardships to perhaps reach common ground. Also, Banneker uses complex diction in order to form his reasonable and collective argument to Jefferson as he establishes himself as a reliable adversary in obtaining equal rights for his people.…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Banneker Argument Essay

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Throughout the piece, Banneker reminds Jefferson of the struggle for independence. He recalls for Jefferson how discontented the colonies felt with King George’s tyranny. He supports his argument with key words from the Revolution, speaking of the “rights and privileges” bestowed upon the former colonists. He quotes Jefferson himself, pulling an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence which states that “all men are created equal.” However, many thought slaves simply property and not men, so did not seem applicable to the situation in their eyes. Banneker warns against hypocrisy, stating with loaded words such as “groaning captivity and cruel oppression” that Jefferson and the others would be just as tyrannical as King George should they just stand by and let slavery continue. Banneker feels quite passionately about this, something reflected by his tone. He feels obligated to act, because “so numerous a part of [his] brethren” were experiencing carnal treatment and abhorrent horrors and all he could do to help included sending a strongly-worded, yet most likely ineffective, letter to a political…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    After losing his second term to Jefferson, John Adams returned to his neglected farm in Quincy, Massachusetts. He had traded “honors and virtue for manure.” It would seem that he could finally find peace, away from the political field. But he didn’t, nor could he. Adams brought anguish on himself. Abigail seen him one day working with hired hands, mumbling curses at past political opponents, Hamilton chief among them, Jefferson a close second. While Adams came up with quite a few colorful description about Hamilton, his rage with Jefferson was completely different. While both Hamilton and Jefferson were political rivals, Jefferson had betrayed Adams’s friendship and personal trust. Adams’s complex feelings towards Jefferson were expounded…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Thomas Jefferson’s Instructions to Meriwether Lewis, 1803, it is very clear that the author is Thomas Jefferson. He signs the ending of the article with, “…this twentieth day of June, 1803. Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States of America” (Jefferson 3). It is apparent that Jefferson is writing to Meriwether Lewis to instruct him before he sets out on his journey. This gives the reader the date the letter is being composed and make it an official document.…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1791, Benjamin Banneker wrote to Thomas Jefferson to argue against slavery. Benjamin, being the son of former slaves, wanted to express his feelings toward slavery thoroughly. Banneker uses various significant rhetorical strategies to reveal his opposition to slavery. Rhetorical strategies used by Banneker are repetition, the rhetorical triangle, and allusions.…

    • 261 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jefferson Essay

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “Jeffersonian political philosophy, the Aristocrat as Democrat was consistently inconsistent.” Evaluate and comment on this statement based on Hofstader Reading Chapter 2.…

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Adams returned to his home in Quincy, Massachusetts as a failure. The former president decided to return to farming and retire from politics. By returning to his home, he faced the possibility of being forgotten by history. However, Adams was most disturbed by Jefferson, who had not only ruined Adams’ reputation but had also betrayed their friendship. Letters held a symbolic meaning in this chapter as they supported Adams and Jefferson in forming their personalities that would eventually outlive them.…

    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Voice of Freedom Notes

    • 2475 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Jefferson shares his view on slavery. Jefferson obviously seems torn on the subject. He questions whether blacks should be considered inferior but in the end he finds this innate. He comes to a conclusion where he believes they should be emancipated but after they must leave the US he doesn’t see a future where blacks will be considered equal members.…

    • 2475 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jefferson Essay

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Thomas Jefferson played a very important role in the history of the United States. Jefferson is most famously known for writing the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson talked many times about African-Americans in America. Where they equal to white people? How were whites and blacks different? What about slavery? Thomas Jefferson had an opinion on all of these subjects, but much of what Thomas Jefferson said was later contradicted with his own words.…

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Thomas Jefferson

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In his letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1791, Benjamin Banneker, the son of former slaves, attempts to make Jefferson aware of the oppression and horrifying nature that is slavery. Banneker illuminates this discordance by appealing to pathos, writing in a sympathetic tone, and using repetition to demonstrate his deference. He beseeches his opinion on the topic of slavery in order to sympathize with Jefferson and change his opinion on slavery.…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays