The Savages of North America - Essay Example

Benjamin Franklin is championing for reverence of other people’s culture caused by cultural diversity in the world. In his argument, Franklin quashes the assumption that the whites are superior to the Native Americans. The whites feel that the Native Americans, due to their cultural background, live with ill manners.

Benjamin Franklin tries to show that people are naturally innocent. Therefore, one's culture should not be a tool to put him down or demean him. He proposes that one should treat others, as he would wish others to treat him. He elaborates this by saying and proving, in his argument, that the whites were ignorant of the natives’ way of life.

Examples by Franklin
He uses a scenario when there is a public council, or even when people engage in a simple conversation. In the Indian culture, another does not interrupt one until he is through with what he is saying. In this culture, people reckon to interrupt another person as highly indecent. Contrary to this, in English society, one has to deliver his speech with great rapidity or risk of someone cutting him off in the middle of his speech by the impatient loquacity of those he is conversing with (The Norton Anthology of English literature, 1962). This example comes in hand to illustrate the civility of the natives as compared to the British.

Another example comes in form of the offer allowing half a dozen Indian sons to attend Williamsburg College. The Indian leaders appreciated the offer but politely declined it. The Indians explained that their ideas of education differ from the ones perceived by the British. This example simply implies that the natives are as smart and educated, but just in the same nature as the British (The Norton Anthology of English literature, 1962).

The visit of Conrad to a native’s house provided an example of their hospitality. Conrad Weiser was warmly welcomed and provided with spread fur to sit on. They also offered him a drink and served it with boiled beans and venison to eat. This proved that the natives are generous and respectful people towards their guests. In his book, Franklin asserts that it is hard to see such reception in the British House of Commons (The Norton Anthology of English literature, 1962). It is evident that the colonists had no respect for the natives when they visited; they chased them away if the native guest had no money for food or water.

The conversation on creation, between the Swedish Minister and the Susquehanna, serves as another example. The Swedish Minister had ample time to present his sermon on creation. Thereafter, the Indians were convinced that they had to return the favor, so they told him their creation story. The minister mocked their story, which showed the minister’s ignorance of simple civility and demonstrated he had no desire to treat the natives with respect (The Norton Anthology of English literature, 1962). Read More