In this passage from the letter to Thomas Jefferson written by Benjamin Banneker, Banneker tries to impress upon Jefferson the injustice of slavery. The immorality of Jefferson’s views on slavery is constructed in part by Banneker’s use of comparison and the references to Christianity in order to ultimately move Jefferson to show the wrongness of slavery. At the beginning of the letter, Banneker begins by comparing Jefferson's own experience of being “enslaved” by the British government to his role in enslaving people in America, which reveals the hypocrisy in Jefferson’s beliefs. He points out how Jefferson was brought down to a “state of servitude” by the British, appealing to Jefferson’s emotions and making him remember the times he felt …show more content…
Jefferson was a key figure in the American Revolution, which fought for freedom and equality. Yet, he owned slaves and supported a system that denied these rights to African Americans. Banneker explains how Jefferson didn’t see the justice of slavery but wrote the Declaration of Independence, stating that all men are created equal. Banneker states Jefferson’s "abhorrence theory was so exciting that you publicly held forth this true and valuable doctrine." Banneker argues that Jefferson wrote it in response to British tyranny, which he hated and recognized as wrong; this situation shows that he is a hypocrite. Banneker references the Declaration of Independence to highlight that slaves should be treated like everyone else. He talks about fundamental rights like “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” which he believes all individuals are entitled to since they are “created equal.” Thomas Jefferson, who mainly wrote the Declaration, expressed his views on equality based on natural rights. By mentioning this document, Banneker aims to remind Jefferson of his fight for freedom from England during the