Benjamin Bannaker
What do we learn about Benjamin Bannaker in this chapter? What role did he play in the formation of the new capital?
Benjamin Bannaker
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In this chapter Benjamin Bannaker was an amateur astronomer that was very strong, intelligent, and the only black man to work on the capital. He and Andrew Ellicott designed the avenues,boulevards and some of the major governmental buildings.
Benjamin Banneker was an self-taught African American astronomer. He was a peculiar case during an era where the nation's capital was built. He was a free black at a time where nearly all of them were slaves. He was also an intellectual (while many Americans were illiterate) and was good in math since he was little. This characteristics made abolitionists embrace him and use him to demonstrate that African Americans have an intellectual capacity. When Banneker was 21 years old he constructed a wooden clock The Ellicots, a white family, and Benneker had a close friendship in Maryland, where racial integration was uncommon.
Banneker was the only African American who formed part of the construction of the nations' capitol. “His actual role was modest. Nevertheless, it was rich in symbolic importance.” Andrew Ellicottt relied on Banneker's “exceptional precise measurements” to help plot the boundaries, the lines of streets and avenues without error. His role on building the nation's capital had a symbolic importance during the era of slavery. He became famous in America, where it was believed that African Americans were inferior. While Banneker was participating in the construction of the nation's capital many Blacks fell outside the ideals of the nation and were not allowed to participate in its political and social life.
Benjamin Banneker was born in 1731 to a white woman. He was born into an era where many blacks were slaves. Banneker was isolated from plantation and ateented school with mixed classes and races as a child." All his delight was to dive into books" but never owned one until the age of 32. He also had a talent that included mathematics. At the age of 21, Banneker constructed a wooden clock. WHile in Maryland, Banneker created a bond with the Ellicott family. The Ellicotts were Quakers that used a diffferent type of machinery that fascinated him. They bonded over things like clocks, surveyor, books, and instruments. In 1791, he was thinking of publishing astronomical observations while traveling to the Potomac. He was reccomended by Ellicott to be a replacement as an amateur astronomer. Banneker was probably the only black man to achieve his dreams.
In this chapter Benjamin Banneker's role is to calculate and do the scientific work in the constructing of Washington DC. Growing up as a child, Benjamin Banneker was fond of math and had a passion for calculations. He was an amateur astronomer that worked with Andrew Ellicott. Benjamin Banneker, although being African American and not a usual working partner with Andrew Ellicott, his cousin George Ellicott suggested him for the job. Andrew Ellicott's pride pushed him to accept him as a partner.
Banneker carried years on him which made him work well with "time pressing down upon him". His physical appearance told his hardworking story. Banneker entered a "divine world of numbers, a world devoid of double standards, where there was neither black skin nor white, only truth and untruth, a cosmic order where everything had a perfect place". This made Banneker good at what he did because this allowed him to fit in. In the real world Banneker did not fit in because he was both a free black and educated. Banneker was the "living symbol of the nation's racial divide"
Benjamin Banneker was a very intelligent African American who had interest in astronomy. This was something unique at the time because African Americans were mostly slaves and most whites were illiterate. He was a perfect example for many abolitionists who argued the African Americans had the ability to be intelligent. He accompanied Andrew Ellicott in surveying the land of the Potomac. His job was to get up at night and point a telescope at the sky and take readings. The measurements he wrote down from the instruments he monitored were essential to Ellicott. Ellicott used these measurements to figure out where boundaries and streets in the capital would be located.
I agree with Brenda when she says that Banneker was unique because of his particuar situation during the time period. Slavery had become a growing issue at the time, considering the fact that the preceding Civil War would be fought based on the decision whether or not to keep it in the country. Benjamin Banneker being able to accomplish everything that he did was an exceptional and rare case. His passion for learning and discovering new things was an exemplary example of the values that the founding fathers were looking to create, even at a time where they did not except African-Americans into society equally. Bannekers role in the formation of the capital was not only necessary in accomplishing intellectual advances in the structure of our nation's capital, but moreover and possibly more important, his ability to acheive excellence at a time where people like himself were otherwise oppressed.
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