Comparing Rhetorical Strategies Of Benjamin Banneker And Thomas Jefferson

The year is 1791. A time of immense controversy over the ownership of slaves divided the country. During this time Benjamin Banneker writes to the Declaration’s framer Thomas Jefferson on his outrage on this issue. With great effectiveness, Banneker uses rhetorical strategies of emotional appeal and contrasting the men’s two lives to argue his stand on slavery.
In his writing, Banneker uses Jefferson’s own experiences to create an emotional appeal and to convince Jefferson of the unfair treatment happening in America. Banneker brings up the anecdote of when Britain was in control and how Americans were enslaved, to remind Jefferson on how he felt. “recall to your mind...tyranny of British crown were exerted with every powerful effort in order to reduce you to a state of servitude.” (Banneker, Line 1-4). With this, Banneker is attempting to connecting with Jefferson more on a personal level. Banneker is ultimately asking the questions; how could you declare freedom, when you are enslaving today? How do you feel enslaving people when you

Comparing the two men’s lives, Banneker is showing Jefferson that their opinions on slavery are very similar. “here sir, was a time in which your tender feelings for yourseleves had engaged you thus to declare…” (Banneker, Lines 26-27) Banneker is trying to get through to Jefferson that that there was a time in Jefferson’s life where he felt enslaved, now Banneker is living through same events. So why is Jefferson breaking what he believes in? “you should at the same time counteract his mercies in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren...” (Banneker, Lines 34-35) . Banneker is telling Jefferson that he needs to step outside of himself, because he knows what is right. Jefferson knows that slavery is immoral because he went through the same thing that Banneker is