Racism in the 18th C.

A detailed Summary of Racism in the 18th C.

Racism is something that has existed since the beginning of time. For centuries people have argued whether whites and non- whites were equal and should therefore have equal rights. My position is that all people and unique and should be treated in the same way.

In this essay I will be arguing against some eighteenth century philosophers such as David Hume, Immanual Kant and Thomas Jefferson. Hume, Kant and Jefferson all had the same idea that negroes were unintelligent, uncivilized and barbaric. They believed in culural supremacy, slavery, colonization and that negroes should in no way be treated equally to whites.

I tend to prove that all people are equal and should in turn be treated equally. I also tend to prove that Africa was a civilization that was unjustly stereotyped by the Europeans. In my essay, you will learn that most Africans were a peaceful, simple people with their own personal ideas on government, sex, religion, art and culture in general. You will see that the Europeans have tended to act more in the barbaric ways that they accuse the Africans of, than the African people themselves.

David Hume states that "there was never a civilization of any other complexion than white.(p.629)" The term civilization

Thomas Jefferson defines Africans as lazy saying, " relieve him of hunger and thirst, and deprive him of the active principle of all his movements; he will rest stupidly upon his legs or lying down entire days.(p.657)" People of the African culture are just as hard working and ambitious as people in any other culture. The men take pride in planting and harvesting, and women work hard cooking and caring for their many children. Archeology reveals that agriculture was practiced in some places in Africa as early as anywhere else in the world, perhaps several thousands of years BCE.

In Thomas Paine's passionate attack on slavery that appeared in the Philadelphia Magazine in 1775 he states that, "Christians are taught to account all men their neighbors; and do all men as they would be done by; to do good to all men;

and man stealing is ranked with enormous crimes." With this, how can you criticize and disrespect someone else's religion when you do not even follow your own!

Jefferson also says that Roman slaves are superior to African slaves. He argues that if you free a Roman slave he will become a working part of the society while the African one's will not. Roman slaves were educated people who were working off a debt that was owed, African slaves were taken into bondage and brought to a land were they did not understand the culture or the language. They were forbidden to act as any part of society other than slaves. African people had no right in Europe and therefor could never compare to the Roman slaves.

African people also have a very strong belief in their gods. They prayed to then and their ancestors and showed much respect to the priests and priestesses of their village. They honor a holy week in respect to the " earth goddess" prior to the annual harvest. They also made sacrifices and br

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Approximate Word count = 1227
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History