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Frederick Douglas's Argumentative Essay

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In the summer of 1845, Frederick decided to fulfill a dream he had long held, to travel throughout England (5). Even though he was forced to stay in the steerage, second-class, during his trip overseas he was extremely excited to finally go to Britain (8, 9). While on board, he had made many friends and was even asked by the captain to give lectures on slavery (8, 9). When he finally reached Europe, Frederick felt free from prejudice. He was treated as a man, as opposed to a second-class citizen, and was welcomed into homes, hotels, and restaurants (8, 9). Fleeing America during this time not only saved him from slave catchers, the expedition also gave him the opportunity to speak to English audiences and gain their support for the American anti-slavery movement. Douglass wrote Garrison to inform him how he had …show more content…

Both became involved in campaigns against the discrimination of minorities and promoted constitutional rights (8, 9). In August of 1846, Douglass gave the most controversial speech of his career at the World Temperance Convention held in London (1, 65). Within this oration, he attacked the American temperance movement because it failed to criticize slave owners who used alcohol to pacify their workers and because temperance activists were hostile to free blacks (1, 65). Douglass was tremendously satisfied with the outcome of his trip to England and was soon ready to go home. Even though he was ready return to America, recapture still remained a possibility for him if and when he came back. Fortunately, this problem was resolved when unknowingly; two English friends raised enough money to buy his freedom (6). $710.96 was sent to the Auld family and on December 5, 1846; Hugh Auld signed the papers that declared Frederick Bailey a free man (5). In the spring of 1847, Douglass returned to America, where his work remained to free his people in

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He owned only two “legal” documents and his address to prove that he is eligible to vote. Douglass said that a fugitive slave had to change names from to time to stay survive and honesty was out of the question. There were only 5 states in the North that allowed “free”

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Both King and Douglass were advocating for the same thing: their constitutional sanction of freedom. Both men, in their respective letters touch upon parallel thoughts and beliefs that revolve around the much bigger topic of racial inequality and discrimination. Both men were discriminated against and they talk about their experiences and plight in their very distinctive yet special styles. Born in the year 1817, in an era of open and unashamed slave trade, Frederick Douglass’s story begins as a serf to Mrs. Hugh in the city of Maryland.

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Once he escaped slavery in Maryland, Douglass began to lead the abolitionist movement that were taking place in New York and the state of Massachusetts. His leadership, writings, and use of voice allowed for Douglass to achieve and receive great recognition. In New York, Douglass was asked to give a speech to a crowd of believers and supporters of the abolitionist movement. The name of this speech was called, “What to the slave is the Fourth of July?” In this speech, Douglass explains how although the fourth of July may appear to be a happy and exciting holiday for where people can celebrate their independence, it is a sad day for African Americans.

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844 Words | 4 Pages

Fredrick Douglass does not actually tell us exactly how he escaped in detail to the North from slavery because he does not want to give any slave masters information. Which makes sense because, he would not like to be giving slave owners an upper hand on slaves that do try to escape. One of the most important factors to Fredrick Douglass gaining his freedom is when he moved to Baltimore. I believe that is where his quest for freedom began.

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1080 Words | 5 Pages

Most of his time was in the movement of the abolition of slavery. He did not want any other black person to face brutality, humiliation, and pain. His arguments became very useful in the anti-slavery movement. It is through his experiences of being a slave that he urged for the abolition of slavery (Douglass, 1845). Douglass’ style of narration makes the reader to be involved in the story emotionally.

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505 Words | 3 Pages

Frederick Douglass Final Frederick Douglass demonstrates the importance of community and building bonds and trust. The slave community was unbreakable, they would do anything to help another slave. “That night I fell in with Sandy Jenkins, a slave with whom I was somewhat acquainted. . . I must go with him into another part of the woods where there was a certain root, which if I would take some of it with me, carrying it always on my right side, would render it impossible for Mr. Covey, or any white man to whip me”(Douglass, 80).

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804 Words | 4 Pages

He escaped on a train and was free in the north (OI). He wrote an abolition newspaper called the North Star that helped raise awareness on how terrible this was (Doc. 3). Douglass stated in an article saying that slaves “would never be done away with” (Doc. 3). Frederick hinted at African American philosophers and statesmen to come up with a plan (Doc. 3). Union armies needed more people; the escaped slaves were happy to help, joining the Union’s side.

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Douglass was born a slave, but escaped in 1838, becoming a key spokesman for many free and enslaved blacks during the abolitionist movement. Douglas conducted himself

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935 Words | 4 Pages

Many slaves fear even the idea of escaping because of the possible consequences that come along with it. Therefore, the escape of Frederick Douglass is relatively substantial. Douglass says he feels “like the one who escaped a den of hungry lions.” He feels fortunate to have accomplished something that not many have been able to. Unfortunately, his happiness is short lived.

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After being separated from his mother at a young age, Frederick Douglass fights back against slavery and human rights. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, the author, Frederick Douglass, uses powerful rhetoric to disprove the Pragmatic and the Scientific pro-slavery arguments of Pre-Civil War America. The Pragmatic Argument is about how many people believe that if all black slaves were to be freed, then this would result in convulsions which would then lead to extermination of the one or other race. Many people also believed that black slavery was necessary for American history.

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392 Words | 2 Pages

The legendary abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was one of the most important social reformers of the nineteenth century. Being born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation to his mother, Harriet Bailey, and a white man, most likely Douglass’s first master was the starting point of his rise against the enslavement of African-Americans. Nearly 200 years after Douglass’s birth and 122 years after his death, The social activist’s name and accomplishments continue to inspire the progression of African-American youth in modern society. Through his ability to overcome obstacles, his strive for a better life through education, and his success despite humble beginnings, Frederick Douglass’s aspirations stretched his influence through

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560 Words | 3 Pages

Douglass states: “The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers. I could regard them in no other light than a band of successful robbers, who had left their homes, and gone to Africa, and stolen us from our homes, and in a strange land reduced us to slavery” (Douglass 51). Reading and writing opened Frederick Douglass’s eyes to the cause of the abolitionist. He became knowledgeable about a topic that white slave owners tried to keep hidden from their slaves. Literacy would eventually impact his life in more ways than what he could see while he was a young slave under Master Hugh’s

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1727 Words | 7 Pages

He became known as an inspirational person. Not many people are willing to go against what others believe, but Douglass was. His slave owner thought that it was “unlawful, as well as unsafe, to teach a slave to read” (Douglass 29), but that did not stop him from pursuing further knowledge. Education has a powerful effect that makes others fear that one has superiority over them one way or another. Slaves had their basic human rights taken away from them because slave owners wanted them to lack the ability to form an opinion on what was happening to them.

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850 Words | 4 Pages

Education is the light at the end of the tunnel, when Frederick uses it he discovers hope. In the story the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick goes through many struggles on his path to freedom, showing us the road from slavery to freedom. At the beginning of the book, Douglass is a slave in both body and mind. When the book ends, he gets both his legal freedom and frees his mind. The path to freedom was not easy, but it got clearer when he got an education.

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257 Words | 2 Pages

Frederick Douglass was a great writer, but he wasn’t always. He was an escaped slave who used that in his speeches as a topic to gain the attention of his audience. His audience was a seemingly sympathetic one and got to them through rhetorical questions. Douglass wanted to convey the message that there are many changes that need to be made.

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