Benjamin Banneker Rhetorical Analysis - 1326 Words

Banneker Analysis After the Revolutionary War, and while America was still trying to establish itself, it faced many problems in society, including the issue of race and slavery. There were many Americans who viewed blacks as inferior beings who should be confined to a life of slavery. Thomas Jefferson, the father of The Declaration of Independence, was one of those people. In 1791, Benjamin Banneker, a free and educated black man, responded to Jefferson’s work,c Notes on the State of Virginia, which basically provides reasons of why blacks are inferior to whites. Banneker uses the rhetorical strategies of flattering Jefferson originally, pointing out Jefferson’s hypocrisy, and providing justification that blacks are not inferior, and uses†¦show more content†¦Instead, this rhetorical strategy allows Banneker to grab Jefferson’s attention so that he can freely explain his purposes in later paragraphs. Once Banneker has grabbed Jefferson’s attention with this flattering, he begins pointing out the hypocrisy of what Jefferson has professed about liberty and freedom in the past, and how it contradicts to the way blacks in America are being treated. One powerful way Banneker does this is by reminding Jefferson of â€Å"that time in which the Arms and tyranny of the British Crown were exerted with every powerful effort in order to reduce you to a State of Servitude.† This comparison of Britain’s tyranny to slavery allows Jefferson to almost place himself in Banneker’s shoes, and to relate to the struggles that blacks have faced. It also points to Jefferson’s hypocrisy because of what Jefferson was specifically fighting for. These were the natural rights of â€Å" ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happyness’,â€Å" and the idea that â€Å" ‘all men are created equal’.† These are the exact same things Banneker is fig hting for, and the fact that Jefferson was an advocate of these same ideas makes it impossible for him to disagree with Banneker. The direct quotes from the Declaration of Independence, which was written by Jefferson, gives Jefferson two options: one, to be called a hypocrite, or two, to support Banneker and his purpose. Since Banneker’s overall goal is to endShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of Benjamin Banneker821 Words   |  4 Pages In 1791 Benjamin Banneker, the son of a former slave, wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson, framer of the Declaration of Independence and secretary of state to President George Washington, arguing against slavery. Banneker constructs an argument in his letter to persuade Jefferson of the cruelty and inhumanity that slavery entails. Motivated by the desire to convince Jefferson to abolish slavery, Banneker appeals to pathos by comparing slavery to the American Revolution, appeals to logos by referencingRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Benjamin Banneker928 Words   |  4 PagesBenjamin Banneker, the son of former slaves, writes to Thomas Jefferson in 1791 in an effort to denounce slavery in the United States. His letter was written in an era during a time which slavery was commonly practiced in the United States. In his appeals, Benjamin touches on topics of the cruel way blacks were treated and attempts to persuade Thomas Jefferson to reconsider his tolerance of such a heartless system. In his letter, Banneker utilizes ethos, pathos, logos, textual citation, and textualRead MoreThomas Jefferson Rhetorical Analysis1011 Words   |  5 PagesMy rhetorical analysis is about a free African-American almanac writer, naturalist, and farmer who fought against slavery and who earned the recognition of many high officials of the time, including Thomas Jefferson. As D.L. Chandler pointed out, Benjamin Banneker, wrote to Thomas Jefferson, on August 19, 1791, to condemn the practice of slavery in the United States. Banneker attempte d to persuade Thomas Jefferson of his forbearance of slave practices and the fact that he owned slaves yet pronounced