Benjamin Franklin 17061790 Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America

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Benjamin Franklin (17061790)
Remarks Concerning the Savages of North
America Deismbelief in a distant creator God
who made the world so perfectly that he does not
need to intervene in its affairs directly
(analogy of clock-maker who winds up clock and
lets it run without interference) Among other
things, Franklin had served as Indian
Commissioner of Pennsylvania, and was not a
Christian he was a Deist Circumstances of
Writing written in 1784 to offset the almost
universal prejudice against Native Americans and
show how they are, in many ways, superior to the
whites Genre humorous essay
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Setting PennsylvaniaNative Americans there
Characters (unimportant) Virginia
commissioners and Indian speaker Swedish
minister and Indian orator Conrad Weiser,
Canassatego, and Hans Hanson Point of view
First person-essayist Tone humorous but
teaching Contains little use of imagery, no
significant symbols Theme of work Native
Americans are more civilized than European
Americans.
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Benjamin Franklin Franklin's relationships with
his familyfather, brother, wife, children, etc.
He hated his father's occupation and ran away
from his brother. Had two illegitimate children
and a common-law marriage! He was also a
womanizer. But he did write part of his
Autobiography for his illegitimate son
William. Franklin as a businessman Excellent
businessmanran paper as teenager, owned printing
shop, published Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor
Richard's Almanac.
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Franklin was a prolific and successful scientist,
inventor, and innovator Founded a library,
invented a stove, established a fire company,
started what was to become University of
Pennsylvania, served as secretary of American
Philosophical Society, made important
observations on electricity. Franklin was among
Americas first and finest diplomats and
statesmen Served as diplomat to Britain and
France. Helped in second Continental Congress,
writing Declaration of Independence, signed
Treaty of Paris, served in Constitutional
Convention.
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Franklins belief regarding human nature He
believed that people are naturally innocenthe
dismissed the notion of Original Sin outright,
displaying the typical attitude of a Deist.
Franklin believed that people are not sinful,
but flawed, and the defect can be cured
Education can do it. Errata can be changed he
preferred to speak of them rather than sin.
Franklins attitude toward organized religion
and the church He felt that the church can be
(and frequently is) tyrannical.
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• Franklins attitude toward natives was vastly
  more positive than that of writers whom we have
  previously studied (Harriot, Smith, Bradford,
  Rowlandson). There was a good reason for this
• Franklins mother's father (his maternal
  grandfather) had been "a teacher to the Native
  Americans. Franklin considered people to be
  naturally innocent, capable of being educated,
  and not guilty of original sin. Thus, to Franklin
  the natives werent evil they didnt need to be
  civilized or reformed. They were already
  civilized, and more so than most of the white
  colonists.

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• Some of Franklin's thoughts concerning the
  natives
• they led orderly, leisurely lives
• their education was superior
• they held public councils instead of doing things
  in secret by elite group
• politer than white colonists
• hospitable
• honest

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• Franklins audience for this essay
• Prejudiced Americans (i.e., MOST Americans!)
• Purpose
• To try to lessen their prejudices.
• Success for the project
• Was not as successful as he had hoped. The
  prejudice of most colonists toward the Native
  Americans was just too deeply entrenched.