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Summary Of American Paradox Alexander Boulton

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Annotated Bibliography Boulton, Alexander O. "American Paradox: Jeffersonian Equality and Racial Science." American Quarterly 47.3 (1995): 467-92. JSTOR. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. In this source, Boulton analyzes how parts of the Declaration of Independence contradict Jefferson’s “scientific racism” presented in the Notes on the State of Virginia. He affirms, “The scientific theories that Jefferson sets out in the Notes on the State of Virginia are crucial to understanding his construction of both equality and race” (472). Specifically, Boulton’s insight on Jefferson’s emancipation plan showed Jefferson sought for colonization after emancipation because of this “scientific racism”. He believes that Jefferson thought, “… that a plan to end slavery …show more content…

He covers various topics, but the one of most interest in relation to the topic Thomas Jefferson and his opinions on slavery is the section in which he directly addresses that issue. In the brief excerpt, Jefferson details the physical and morals differences between African Americans and Caucasians. Numerously throughout the document, he refers to them as inferior race with the difference between the two races, “fixed in nature” (669). With, “the improvement of the black in body and mind, in the first instance of their mixture with the whites, has been observed by everyone, and proves that their inferiority is not the effect merely of their condition of life” (671). This document as indicated in the footnotes was originally published privately, so therefore one can conclude that his true reflections on African Americans and slavery are presented in this source. All in all, this will be extremely useful in introducing specific direct quotations about Jefferson’s ideals on African Americans as a …show more content…

Notes on the State of Virginia is Magnis’s basis for the exploration into Thomas Jefferson’s thinking; he uses this document as well as several letters between Jefferson and correspondents to establish his main point and organize his argument. In summary, his argument is Thomas Jefferson felt that African Americans were an inferior race physically and intellectually, and these feelings were translated into his political conduct. For example, he discussed thoroughly Jefferson’s emancipation plan to free the slaves in infancy over a 25 year time period while deporting them back to Africa to colonize there. This will leave the whites free on the inferior race, because Jefferson believed the two races could not govern together. Other examples include: his inaction of abolition plans during his time in office, his scientific opinion on African Americans, and his deprecation of African American’s intellectual capabilities. Magnis concludes his article with this line, “It is abundantly clear that Jefferson intended the United States to be a society of free White men because of his overwhelming prejudice toward Black, who he regarded as inferior in body and mind” (508). All of these analyses will provide usefulness in my paper, as they concede with my

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In his letter to Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Banneker cries out against slavery and how Thomas Jefferson seemed to have forgotten the slaves when he was writing the Declaration of Independence. With his use of religious connotation, repetition and references to Jefferson’s own past Banneker channels his feelings of negativity against slavery to Jefferson. Banneker knows that Jefferson is a religious man as most men were back in the day and by bring God in to his arguments he shows Jefferson that god too, is against slavery. He writes that Jefferson is “convinced of the benevolence of the Father” and that Jefferson “counteracts his mercies” by allowing slavery to go on. Jefferson is just not getting the picture from God that Slavery is not a good thing.

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Benjamin Banneker hopes to bring the horrors of slavery to Thomas Jefferson’s attention and potentially end slavery. He accomplishes this with his logical organization of his essay, appeals to pathos and ethos, comparisons, flattery, positive and negative diction, allusions, examples, parallelism, and a call-to-action. Banneker respectfully reminds Thomas Jefferson of how horrible it was under Great Britain’s “tyranny” and compares this to slavery. By comparing the suffering in slavery to the suffering the U.S. endured under Great Britain. Banneker addresses Thomas Jefferson as “sir” and compliments him, building him up.

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Hi Anecia, Your viewpoints on Benjamin Banneker exposed several of valuable details, one for example Banneker rhetorical strategy was effective yes, I agree with this statement about Banneker, in other words, he was letting Franklin Jefferson know that there were African Americans who possessed intelligence. Otherwise his ability to complete an almanac would be impossible. However, I find it hard to conceive that out of all the hundreds and hundreds of slave Jefferson purchased and kept in slavery until his death; not one indicated traits of intelligence. Therefore can one assume that Jefferson’s letter written true purpose was to keep slavery going because of his economic status was at the state or to introduce the negativity of a race

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The repetitive use of pronouns and satire are utilized in order to question the credibility and motives behind Jefferson’s actions, thus creating a demanding tone. In order to appeal to Jefferson’s emotions, personification and allusions are utilized to establish guilt for not adhering to his statements. Through Banneker’s letter, not only was his efforts successful in attracting attention to slavery, but it urged other advocates to fight for equality as

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