What Is Benjamin Franklin's Thesis In Remarks Concerning The Savages

Benjamin Franklin’s essay, “Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America,” depicts the Native Americans as civilized people, but many dub them as “savages.” Franklin discreetly describes the Indians as civilized, polite, peaceful people; while, the white people are really the uncivilized slavish people. The essay contrasts the way most general white people diminish the lives and nature of the Native Americans. Based on feelings of superiority, the whites believe to be a more “perfection of civility,” believing that they are more civilized then the Indians. Franklin’s essay states, “Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think the perfection of civility,” the whites think of themselves in a higher esteem then the Indians. Franklins essay however, puts the Indian people under a different perspective. With this in mind, Franklin’s essay contains topics pertaining to the white and Indian’s people lives, such as their education and concept of prisons. To start with, Franklin’s essay had two different concepts about education between the whites and the Indians. The whites have a well-developed education, with

The Indians are ironically, more civilized than the white people, for they communicate to solve disputes, and appear to have more manners than the whites. Franklin states, “The politeness of theses savages in conversation is indeed carried to excess.” This proves that the Indians indeed, were more polite, in ways such as declining politely to their impressions of education and religion. The Indian people don’t like to cause disputes, and they choose to listen before arguing. Although viewed as uncivilized savages, the Indians are actually polite, communicative people. They are willing to listen, but don’t want to succumb to the white peoples education and other trends that would imprison the Indian