Your Assignment: Read the following assigned excerpts (on 1) Voltaire and Inequality 2) Petition of Slaves to the Massachusetts Legislature 3) Slaves’ Appeal to Thomas Gage, Royal Governor of Massachusetts, May 25, 1774 4) Selection from the Notes on the State of Virginia 5) Correspondence between Banneker and Jefferson 6) Washington and the American Republic: Correspondence with Phillis Wheatley Also view The Duality of Thomas Jefferson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzZnqXvRSLE Premise and Question: Around the beginning of the Revolutionary War, a slave turned poet wrote a poem to the commanding General of the Continental Army, future President, and slaveowner. She attached a letter to the poem wishing him the best of luck. The General replied with sincere gratitude. The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence proclaims that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Yet Thomas Jefferson, who drafted the document, held slaves and did not believe in equality between the races. Clearly, African Americans were not part of the intended audience. How did the enslavement of blacks or indentured servitude of whites complicate the notion of national independence? Were blacks interested in independence? How would Voltaire take up their argument? Discuss Thomas Jeffersons views on slavery, race, and equality. How is the correspondence between Phillis Wheatley and George Washington so different from that of Jefferson and Banneker? Use tangible evidence in your discourse. Your response MUST adhere to the following guidelines: 1) It must focus on the CAMS documents. Use the lectures and book sparingly for context. If you do not use the required material, you automatically forfeit a MINIMUM of two letter grades. 2) USE YOUR OWN WORDS!!!!! DO NOT COPY AND PASTE FROM WEBSITES!!! Do not use an article rewriter or partake in word substitution. Plagiarism, of any amount, shall lead to a score of zero. 3) It should be from three to five pages long. If you can only muster two pages from these sources you should make an appointment with the writing center. 4) Double space the essay and have one inch margins all around. Please include page numbers. 5) It should be twelve point font and Times New Roman typeface. 6) You must turn it in as a hard copy. Do not email it. 7) Use standard collegiate writing, mechanics, and grammar. Do not use contractions, spell out numbers of two words or less, use active voice, et cetera
