The USA has a glorious history attached to it; let’s travel back in the time when they were preparing the drafts for the declaration of the independence for this country. It was the time when the intellectual clan of the USA, like the thinkers, lawyers, scientists, and politicians were busy in shaping up a new social structure and the polity for New USA. Their contribution cannot be denied in the formation of this great country which has now become the best example of the unity in the diversity (Zinn 31).
Any person living in the 21st century and writing voraciously on the walls of the social media platforms will find it difficult to estimate the real value of the written words in the era of 17th and 18th century. In the current essay, we are having a look at the literary work of three social stalwarts of that era; they are Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. These three personalities represent three different walks of the society of that era. With the help of their writings, we will try to capture the essence of that era and highlight some of their salient works that are still surviving in the flesh and blood of this great nation. In this essay, we will share their thought and actions connected to the evil of slavery. All three of them were unanimously against the slavery; however, their stance on the removal of slavery was slightly different from each other. This stance shows us that they were representing different sections of the society and their thought process was an outcome of their worldview that they developed after interacting with their immediate societies.
When a committee of five members was writing the drafts of the declaration of independence for the USA, many people were thinking about the abolishment of slavery from the mainframe of the society (Omi 56). Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams were also against the slavery, however, their thoughts about this abolishment were different, a close study of their views can help us in accept or decline the thesis that we have in our hands. This thesis says that although these three stalwarts of their times were sharing the same contextual thoughts about the independence; however, they were representing three different strata of the society (Beeman). The impact of these contextual thoughts is visible in the current society. However, they adopted different ideologies to beat a seen devil and this is where the conflict in the opinion arises among them.
The USA was not built in a day; it became a superpower because it promoted the culture of scientific temper among the youth of the country. Let’s take the case of Benjamin Franklin the current generations know him as a remarkable scientist who contributed to the evolution of the electricity and contributed in many more inventions that helped USA and mankind (Franklin). However, not many of us are aware of the fact that his parents were keen to make him a priest in a church. According to him the faith in a system, culture, and religion forms the foundation of the scientific temper in an individual. Benjamin Franklin was a versatile personality he participated actively in all the activities that were shaping up the New America. Benjamin Franklin clearly stated that knowledge is the force of emancipation, scientific temper is the boat that can sail an individual towards the free land, however, they should have the guidebook of religion and other faiths connected to the country in their laps while sailing.
He was appointed as a committee member in a five-member bench that prepared the final draft of the independence. In the year 1785, he was honored as a delegate in the constitutional convention, he never participated in any debate, and however, his words clear his stand about the changes that he was seeking in the American society at that point of time (Goodwin 18). According to him “every unconventional thought needs a conventional platform where it can grow”. Slavery was a conventional ground for them, however, he was interested to abolish it under a spiritual guidance or a social framework where Blacks can create a new composite culture that can add them into the mainstream society of the USA.
If Benjamin Franklin taught us to stay grounded with old values while adapting the new ones then John Adams declared the ends of every change, according to him the “happiness and the virtues for the maximum number of the people should be ends of every policy made by a democratic government (Wood 97)”. Here happiness refers to the quality of the life and the virtues are connected with the civic sense of an individual.
Adams was also known as one of the most independent-minded founders of our country. He was a champion of the cause of independence and he never owned a Negro or black which was a tradition during that period. He championed the cause to its zenith when he wrote the declaration of the rights for the Massachusetts Constitution; in this constitution, he abolished the custom of slavery completely (Unger 122).
Slavery was a big disparity, during that period Thomas Jefferson owned more than 600 slaves. Instead of setting them free at once, he decided to emancipate them in stages (Ellis 88). He started the concept of the working culture for the slaves and allowed them to pursue their hobbies so that they can pick some career streams and set themselves free with honor to live with respect in the society. Thomas Jefferson left a distinct mark on the social reforms. Many historians think that he was not a revolutionist; he was an emancipationist that brought in a different kind of change in the society. If Benjamin Franklin promoted the idea of strong foundation before thinking out of the box then Thomas Jefferson was not far behind, he promoted the concept of freedom in various stages (Barrett 110). Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to George Logan in which he wrote that slavery cannot be removed overnight from the society, it will be phased out from the society in stages. It was also the time when some enthusiastic blacks attacked on their white owners. Social thinkers of that period considered these incidences as a trigger for a probable civil war. However, the ideas of the Thomas Jefferson saved a probable civil war during that period (Meachem 63).
Conclusion
Benjamin Franklin was in favor of the abolishment of slavery; however, he was representing a progressive mindset of US society at that point in time. He was not overzealous about, independence. He was keen that society should take it in their regular stride. His concern was more about the moral and civic education of the slaves.
Thomas Jefferson was representing the rich and affluent class of the society; he was also in favor of the abolishment of slavery. He was someone who watched the life of slaves from the close quarters; this is why he was more concerned about the creation of the new jobs for the black in the existing society. Instead of abolishment, he was looking at it from the point of view of emancipation. Adams, on the other hand, was keener on securing the life of the blacks under a legal framework. He was a champion of law and he contributed his bit by writing a law that has pertinence even today.
Three distinctive personalities coming from three different walks of life, promoting three different ways to solve a problem, however, their intent is the same. The hypothesis that we made, in the beginning, sounds accurate on these three personalities, they were representing the voices of three different strata of the society, and however, their concern was the same. This hypothesis of this essay can be tested on many more personalities of that era, however, the relevance of it will remain the same, this is the formation of USA took place where people from diverse cultures came together and helped the country in the formation of a composite culture.
References
Barrett, Marvin. Meet Thomas Jefferson. Manhattan: Random House Children’s book, 2012.Print.
Beeman, Richard. The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. New York: Penguin, 2012.Print.
Ellis, Joseph J. Passionate Sage: The Character and Legacy of John Adams. New York: W Norton & Company, 2011. Print.
Franklin, Benjamin. The Art of Virtue: Ben Franklin’s Formula for Successful Living. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2012.Print.
Goodwin, George. Benjamin Franklin in London: The British Life of America’s Founding Father. London: Hachette, 2016.Print
Meachem, Jon. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power. Manhattan: Random House Publishing, 2012.Print.
Omi, Michael. Racial Formation in the United States. Abingdon: Routledge, 2015.Print.
Unger, Harlow Giles. John Quincy Adams. London: Hachette, 2012.Print.
Wood, Gordon S. Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. New York: Penguin, 2016.Print.
Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of the United States: 1492-Present. Abingdon: Routledge, 2015.Print.
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