Many of today’s history books brand the founding generation as evil slave owners. But isn’t it nice to know that at least some of our Founders were fighting against it, right from the beginning?
Slavery has been in humanity's grasp almost since creation. It is an evil that bespeaks man's inhumanity to man. The founding fathers sought to make a nation founded in freedom and it has taken all this time to walk that road. We need to learn love for one another as Christ commanded.
I do not understand how todays people can judge the founders by todays morals and values. The only reason they are where they are is the people who came before were where they were.
This is a part of history that is not well known only because it shows the positive positions Paine, Franklin and others worked to promote...the freedom of all men. We learn through experience and it helps us to see things from a different perspective. When we think for ourselves we can change our minds. Benjamin Franklin obviously came to understand all men should be free and changed his focus. Group think is not good for a free society.
Thanks for this and all your posts. The point you implied that I wish to highlight is people can grow and change their opinions and beliefs based on experience, new information, etc. I wish more of today's leaders would follow Ben's example.
Franklin early on was a Quaker and so being an abolitionist was part of His makeup.The times that He and others lived in were morally challenging,They chose Their livelihoods over Their conscious.Its too bad an economic solution benefiting all people wasn't arrived at.
Tara, I learned so much about Ben Franklin today & am grateful to have read it. Many say Horace Mann was the founding father of public education but I’ve always thought Mr. Franklin was spot on & ahead of his times. Wouldn’t we be blessed to have a statesman such as these. Again thank you Angie
Good stuff. This is 2023 and some folks looking back ... IMHO should welcome those ICONS of YORE that were processing and improving their outlooks ...on slavery ... and NOT be overly condemning .. for the sake of rabid righteousness .. . and be more discerning about whose statue or whatever .. they are going to tear down....just because .. at an earlier point in their life .. they may have owned slaves .. before seeing the light.
By today's lesson I am reminded of the power of the pen and its ability to influence rational thinking people who hold human flourishing and the love of God as the framework for serving their fellow man, all men. It is a reminder to let your voice be heard and to not allow the voices of intimidation restrain you.
Benjamin Franklin was not the only one. It was expensive to free slaves and many slave owners had not bought their slaves but had inherited them. Although they were wealthy landowners, their wealth was in their land and they did not have the funds to free their slaves. Thomas Jefferson was one who wanted to free his slaves but did not have the funds to do so. Jefferson and his wife taught their slaves to read and write even though it was illegal to do so.
Slavery has been in humanity's grasp almost since creation. It is an evil that bespeaks man's inhumanity to man. The founding fathers sought to make a nation founded in freedom and it has taken all this time to walk that road. We need to learn love for one another as Christ commanded.
I do not understand how todays people can judge the founders by todays morals and values. The only reason they are where they are is the people who came before were where they were.
This is a part of history that is not well known only because it shows the positive positions Paine, Franklin and others worked to promote...the freedom of all men. We learn through experience and it helps us to see things from a different perspective. When we think for ourselves we can change our minds. Benjamin Franklin obviously came to understand all men should be free and changed his focus. Group think is not good for a free society.
I think Ben Franklin is one of the most interesting people in all of American history! I'll 👍, follow, and share all your posts!
I am glad to know abolitionist groups were advocating for the end of slavery from the beginning.
Thanks for this and all your posts. The point you implied that I wish to highlight is people can grow and change their opinions and beliefs based on experience, new information, etc. I wish more of today's leaders would follow Ben's example.
I understand that another Founder, Benjamin Rush, was also a member of Franklin's abolitionist movement.
Thanks for sharing, this is just continuing evidence that the founder's were ahead of their time.
Franklin early on was a Quaker and so being an abolitionist was part of His makeup.The times that He and others lived in were morally challenging,They chose Their livelihoods over Their conscious.Its too bad an economic solution benefiting all people wasn't arrived at.
Excellent article!
Thank you, Tara!!
Some of our nation’s Founders did not want slavery and took some action to stop it in America!
Excellent read. Thank you for these details that some of the founding fathers were against slavery
Tara, I learned so much about Ben Franklin today & am grateful to have read it. Many say Horace Mann was the founding father of public education but I’ve always thought Mr. Franklin was spot on & ahead of his times. Wouldn’t we be blessed to have a statesman such as these. Again thank you Angie
Good stuff. This is 2023 and some folks looking back ... IMHO should welcome those ICONS of YORE that were processing and improving their outlooks ...on slavery ... and NOT be overly condemning .. for the sake of rabid righteousness .. . and be more discerning about whose statue or whatever .. they are going to tear down....just because .. at an earlier point in their life .. they may have owned slaves .. before seeing the light.
By today's lesson I am reminded of the power of the pen and its ability to influence rational thinking people who hold human flourishing and the love of God as the framework for serving their fellow man, all men. It is a reminder to let your voice be heard and to not allow the voices of intimidation restrain you.
Benjamin Franklin was not the only one. It was expensive to free slaves and many slave owners had not bought their slaves but had inherited them. Although they were wealthy landowners, their wealth was in their land and they did not have the funds to free their slaves. Thomas Jefferson was one who wanted to free his slaves but did not have the funds to do so. Jefferson and his wife taught their slaves to read and write even though it was illegal to do so.
Always enjoy and learn a little more of our history from your post. Thank you Tara.
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