Benjamin Banneker Analysis

465 Words2 Pages
1503870 During the late 1700’s slavery was a large industry in early America and also controversial practice that challenged many people’s moral and ethics codes. One person who opposed this industry was Benjamin Banneker. Benjamin Banneker himself was a free African American who lived during these times of slavery and knowing the joys of freedom that he gets to enjoy he was inspired to write a letter to Jefferson to urge Jefferson to end slavery in America. In Banneker’s letter he uses elements of logos which include a very powerful quote and he also uses elements of pathos and ethos to persuade Jefferson’s emotionally both Banneker hoped would ultimately convince Jefferson to end slavery. Banneker used elements of Logos to give his letter a more sophisticated feel to giving his letter more credibility and respect from a highly educated and intellectual President Thomas Jefferson. Banneker also used a quote that would be very influential which came from the declaration of Independence the quote used was, “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.” This quote was written by Jefferson in the declaration of independence helped to remind Jefferson of his earlier attempts to eradicate slavery from America. This quote also brought to attention to Jefferson that he is being a hypocrite for not ending slavery yet saying that all men were equal. Banneker also used elements of pathos and ethos to persuade Jefferson to end slavery by appealing to his emotions and ethics. Banneker makes a connection with the British control over America before the revolutionary war with slavery helping Jefferson be able to sympathize slavery with how he felt when under what Banneker called the “tyranny of the
Open Document