Question

Read the excerpt from Thoughts and Sentiments.

It is therefore manifest, that something else ought yet to be done; and what is required, is evidently the incumbent duty of all men of enlightened understanding, and of every man that has any claim or affinity to the name of Christian, that the base treatment which the African Slaves undergo, ought to be abolished; and it is moreover evident, that the whole, or any part of that iniquitous traffic of slavery, can no where, or in any degree, be admitted, but among those who must eventually resign their own claim to any degree of sensibility and humanity, for that of barbarians.

Read the excerpt from Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African.

I am sure you will applaud me for beseeching you to give one half hour's attention to slavery, as it is at this day practised in our West Indies.—That subject, handled in your striking manner, would ease the yoke (perhaps) of many—but if only of one—Gracious God!—what a feast to a benevolent heart!—and, sure I am, you are an epicurean in acts of charity.—You, who are universally read, and as universally admired—you could not fail

In these excerpts, how does Cugoano’s purpose differ from Sancho’s purpose?

Answer/
Cugoano is hoping that a few enslaved people can be released, while Sancho is hoping that Sterne can abolish slavery altogether.
Cugoano makes references to his Christian faith, while Sancho stays away from the topic of religion altogether.
Sancho is humbly asking for someone’s help, while Cugoano is asking for immediate and drastic changes in policies about slavery.
Sancho is informing the general public about the horrors of slavery, while Cugoano is writing a private letter.

Answer 1

"Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery" was written by Quobna Ottobah Cugoano, a slave himself, as a direct criticism to slavery and a refutal to any and all pro-slavery arguments that were being given during the epitome of the British slave trade.

On the other hand we have "Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African", written as a letter by Ignatius Sancho, also a slave, to a friend of his, Laurence Sterne. Sancho became an active critic of the way Britain handled the slave trade, but he did this through letters in the 18th century in which he mostly beseeched his good friend and writer, Sterne, to help, through his pen, to make people aware of the horrors of slavery.

In these two excerpts, although the end goal is the same, Cugoano does this by directly and fervently demanding the end of the trade, and uses the importance of the Christian faith to put forth his argument, while Sancho seeks to engage the help of someone whose words and ideas may be better heard by the public than his could ever be. This is why the correct answer is: Sancho is humbly asking for someone´s help, while Cugoano is asking for immediate and drastic changes in policies about slavery.