Abigail Philip
American Literature 1
Professor Terry Cole
4/11/07
Essay Exam #1
In society throughout different periods of time there have always been misconceptions about differences in people’s culture. In the earlier years such as the 1700’s the Native Americans were seen by the English and Americans by being savage.
This was because they were different in their behaviors, practices and color. In Benjamin Franklin’s “Remarks concerning the Savages of North America” it shows despite his use of the term “savages” he had an undeniable admiration for the Native Americans.
Firstly, Franklin admired the Indian men for their hard work ethic and the discipline they had because as young men they were hunters and warriors, then when they became old they would be counselors. He also admired the fact that within their culture there is no force, no prisoners, and no police officers to compel and enforce obedience and most importantly inflict punishment that the “Americans” face within their own culture. The Native Americans prided themselves in the way they spoke and the person with the best speech was the one who had the most influence. He was also very impressed with the women; he thought it admirable the ways the Indian women tilled the ground, took care of the house, looked after their children and educated them by word of mouth, instilling in them their own memories of transactions. He found these to be “honorable.”
Mr. Franklin admired these “savages” for the respect and manners they had for each other and individuals different from themselves. An example of this would best be described as the Treaty of Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, anno 1744. This was between the government of Virginia and the six nations, proposing to educate and train a half dozen of Indian youth to which the Indians politely, respectfully after a day’s consideration declined. Mr. Franklin says that it is a “custom of Indian rules of politeness not to answer a public proposition the same day it is made, so they showed respect by taking time to consider it.” He also admired them in the ways they conducted their public council because they had great order and decency, their structure and the fact that nothing was ever written down. They imprinted everything into memory and when compared with their records and his, they were always exact. These dated back to 100 years.
In addition, he admired their manners. The Indians didn’t practice to interrupt one another even in common conversation because this was seen as indecent compared to the conduct of the British House of Commons which would have confusion. The politeness of the Indians was very much to the extreme even when they disagreed with something. An example of this was how they listened with patience about the Gospel when they obviously did not agree with it; instead they respectfully said something about it and looking at the way they handled the situation and the response of the missionary they were indeed respectful. They respected not only each other but each other’s property and villages. Franklin admired them for their hospitality whether it was to a fellow Indian or to a white man. They did not treat each other differently from the other as the white man would have done.
In conclusion, although Benjamin Franklin used the term “savages” to describe the Native Americans, it is undeniable that through his writings of “Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America” he respected and admired the Native Americans for the way they conducted themselves, their mannerisms, and their demonstration of discipline along with their excellent skill of recording information accurately without writings.