Rhetorical Analysis Of Slavery In The Declaration Of Independence

In the second paragraph, Benjamin Banneker alludes to the Declaration of the Independence to note that Jefferson himself wrote “all men are created equal” and have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Banneker includes this detail to prove to the audience that Banneker is knowledgeable, and also point out the hypocrisy of the whites. The use of Jefferson’s own words against himself creates a slight shock from the audience, and urges a re-examination of themselves and the principles they claim to hold dearly. Banneker opens the third paragraph with several religious details that criticize Jefferson’s support for slavery. Banneker explains that while Jefferson is “fully convinced of the benevolence of the father” he “counteracts

Benjamin Banneker was an African American man who was not enslaved, but was the son of former slaves. He writes to Thomas Jefferson on the unequal rights of African Americans and slaves, and it turned out to be very influential and well known today. In Benjamin Banneker’s essay, he tries to persuade Thomas Jefferson that African Americans are treated as unequal by the American people which is contradictory to what the nation stands for by using the rhetorical devices of hortative diction, allusion, syntax, and arrangement.

To further support his abolitionist beliefs, Banneker alludes to the “Father of Mankind” as generously giving rights and privileges to all humans. Despite this, Banneker explains that Jefferson and the other colonists are counteracting God’s actions by denying these same rights to Africans through the institution of slavery. This reference to God introduces a religious wrongdoing by Jefferson and the colonists that further serves to develop Banneker’s argument. Moreover, Banneker includes another religious appeal through the allusion to the Biblical figure, Job. Banneker refers to Job in order to illustrate how the slaves are enduring much suffering just as Job did during his time.

Son of former slaves, farmer, astronomer, and author Benjamin Banneker in his letter to Thomas Jefferson in asserts that slavery is erroneous and should be discontinued. During this time period, slaves had no rights or freedom, slaves were property. Banneker was a slavery abolitionist, and wanted to help African Americans. Banneker adopts a respectful yet vexed tone in order to criticize and accuse Thomas Jefferson of being a hypocrite. Thomas Jefferson wrote the lines, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”, but he himself owned slaves, so this describes he did not want liberty for African American slaves. Banneker is offended and vexed, judging Jefferson as a hypocrite. Banneker achieves his purpose of judging Jefferson through his prominent use of diction.

“…With respect to them and as Job proposed to his friends, ‘put your souls in their souls instead’,” this comparison of Jefferson to a righteous man in the bible appeals and compliments him while influencing him in the direction Banneker wants him to think. He eases up on his argument when at the end of the expert he sates he doesn’t need Jefferson to find the end-all solution to the horrible institution of slavery, but only wants him to wean from the prejudices that have spawned from owning slaves.

Benjamin writes, “How pitiable is it to reflect that although you were so fully convinced of the benevolence of the Father of mankind and of his equal and impartial distribution of these rights and privileges which he had conferred upon them, that you should at the same time counteract his mercies in detaining...” He writes this in reference to the certain unalienable rights that all men are endowed with by their creator, as stated in the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson can take a step back and look at this inequality now that it is in a physical form. Moreover, Banneker continues to develop this argument by appealing to religion. He places himself and Jefferson under one Heavenly creator to create a mutual relationship. Banneker uses a quote from Job, a religious leader of the Bible, “put your souls in their souls stead” to allure to the direction of God. This use of religious reference weighs heavy on Jefferson and causes him to continue to read as many people of this time adhered to the word of God under a Christian belief. Furthermore, Banneker compares America’s freedom to a blessing of Heaven. Benjamin indirectly promotes this statement throughout the rest of the letter that all humans should be allowed the blessing of Heaven. Thomas Jefferson is heavily convicted by Banneker’s letter in which he places a mirror up to Jefferson’s hypocrisy.

Benjamin Banneker was the son of a former slave and an extremely educated African-American man. His letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1791 was a carefully worded opposition to the institution of slavery. In his letter, Banneker uses influential allusions, a tone that changes midway into his essay, and well-read diction that call the recipient (Jefferson) to make a gradual change and understand his own hypocrisy.

Banneker does this by using a wrathful diction, using words such as "injustice", "fraud", and "cruel oppression". Banneker wants Jefferson to be conscious of the conditions as a slave, since Jefferson himself isn't a slave and he isn't in a setting with many slaves, like a plantation owner would be. Banneker's choice of diction goes hand in hand of his tone, describing it as an American aspect that is inhumane. His furious tone repeals his audience (Jefferson) but it faces Jefferson with the reality that is happening behind him, as if Jefferson is focusing on the independence of America, but neglecting ALL the inhabitants of America. Banneker shifts onto a sanguine diction, using words such as "hearts be enlarged", "kindness", and "benevolence". Banneker abandons his aggravated tone and instead has a more positive tone. His new tone has an effect on the purpose, because now, Banneker is hoping for the best for Jefferson and the country, even after all the years of oppression towards the African-American slaves. Banneker's shift in diction had an effect on Jefferson, because it turned the tables. The whole letter is about how Banneker is furious at Jefferson for ignoring the African-American slaves, but at the end he ends it with the exact opposite. It's as if Banneker doesn't want Jefferson to take the letter as a warning, he instead wants Jefferson to take it in as a

Benjamin Banneker was a man who felt very strongly about slavery, considering his parents were former slaves. He wrote a well-composed letter to Thomas Jefferson, who was the framer of the Declaration of Independence and secretary of state to the President of the United States, George Washington. He compiled his thoughts, along with reasons why Jefferson should help to abolish slavery. Through referencing Jefferson’s past work, using the bible as a reference, and maintaining a friendly, but firm tone, Banneker was effectively able to argue against slavery in his letter to Thomas Jefferson.

The letter from Banneker to Jefferson integrates extremely knowledgeable and formal diction in contention against the issue of slavery. The advanced level of language introduced by Banneker is another contributing component to his believability on his position against subjugation. A few great instances of Banneker's diction are in the words "abhorrence" in line 18, "benevolence" in line 32, and the phrase "professedly detested" in line 40, all of these showing the great knowledge that he carries. Banneker’s education has the potential to prove to Jefferson that black people can be on the same level as white people despite being put below white people as their slaves. In the second paragraph of his writing, Benjamin uses his knowledge of the time period when the United States was under British rule, inviting Jefferson to recall the "injustice" and the "horrors of its condition”. In doing so, he compares this to the slavery of black people during his own current state of life. In lines 35-38 of Banneker’s letter, it is stated, "that you should at the same time counteract his (God's) mercies in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of

Banneker suggests his oppression of slavery by examining Jefferson’s actions towards slavery. He assesses Jefferson’s point of view of how he clearly used the term “injustice of slavery”. This shows the readers that Banneker is clearly trying to point out the fact that Jefferson is aware of the injustice of the actions of enslaving his fellow men, regardless of race. Furthermore, Banneker supports his statement related to Jefferson by referring to the Declaration of Independence. He quotes, “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The term “unalienable rights” shows the audience the importance of rights to Banneker and how he truly believes that every single person is entitled to them under Jefferson’s own declaration. This ties into the rhetorical device, irony. Banneker illustrates the irony of the fact that Jefferson has failed to provide the slaves with the “unalienable rights” he stated in the declaration. The use of political diction makes the hypocritical nature of Jefferson apparent. Banneker is writing to Jefferson in a personal letter to show the certainty of Jefferson’s contradictions and how slavery should be re-examined. He also states that the “valuation of liberty” reflects

Banneker says this to show that his relationship with God is mutual to Jefferson’s, and to appeal to him further by displaying his religious knowledge. This furthers Banneker’s credibility and pushes the hypocrisy in Jefferson by having both he and Banneker, a former slave, both have the same religious affiliations. Banneker uses logos and pathos through allusions to historical and biblical material to convince Jefferson of his cant wrongdoings, which not only go against the principle of the nation being free for all, but against both men’s religion’s

Before the civil war, African Americans endured slavery and oppression as part of their life. Although at first these custom were seemingly unchallenged, fervent abolitionist and anti-slavery sentiments soon became prominent among society. Many of these abolitionist were prominent African Americans who had escaped slavery or earned their freedom, one of them including Benjamin Banneker. In his letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1796, Banneker utilizes a variety of rhetorical devices to employ a poignant argument against slavery. Through his use of allusions, logic, strong diction, and logic, Banneker effectively elaborates an efficient argument to state that slavery is morally incorrect.

Part of the pro-slavery argument includes the idea that African-Americans are inferior to whites genetically and culturally. Through subtle implications in his writing, Banneker addresses this ideology without directly claiming his equality to Jefferson and whites in general. Banneker writes long, complex sentences that take up entire paragraphs. Additionally, Banneker uses complex words and phrases to express his ideas such as “providential preservation” as well as “abhorrence thereof”. In creating a complex style of writing through long sentences and educated words, Banneker argues his point - that he and his people are equal intellectually to whites - without even having to state it explicitly. An overwhelming majority of African Americans had no opportunity to become educated due to their suppression; thus, Banneker suggests that if all his people had the educational opportunity as he had, all could be on his level of literacy and intelligence. Furthermore, Banneker alludes to the Bible constantly, most notably while quoting the Bible to aid his appeal to empathy: “and as Job proposed to his friends, ‘put your souls in their souls stead’ ”. The fact that Banneker was able to reference the Bible in a way that supplemented his appeal to empathy emphasizes his biblical knowledge and accordingly cultural and religious equality to Jefferson, who additionally was a well-learned christian. Banneker now argues his point through the persona of another Christian, which adds even more weight to his perspective compared one of an intellectual son

Banneker incorporates a convicting tone into his speech to personally attack the actions of Thomas Jefferson. One way he does so is by discussing the previous statements Jefferson made towards equality, and says, “This sir, was a time in which you clearly saw into the injustice of a state of slavery