Frederick Douglass Dbq

The oppressed cry out but until somebody in power joins them, their words fall on deaf ears. This has remained a pattern from the time of prehistory to today. Until someone else is willing to lend an ear, and eventually a hand, the beaten down stay beaten down. Such was the plight of the black slaves in America. Despite their attempts and partial successes they could not free themselves without help from the outside. African slaves made gargantuan efforts to free themselves, but it wasn’t until the white society listened to them that their efforts came to fruition. How many people like moving? Most hate the process of moving. It is time consuming, arduous, and often expensive. Now add on the possibility of being kidnapped, captured, tortured,

Slaves rose up against their masters. Frederick Douglass wrote about the beginning of the end for his time in slavery, “I seized Covey hard by the throat; and as I did so, I rose… My long-crushed spirit rose, cowardice departed, bold defiance took its place (Document G). Douglass was a slave who fought with ferocity, both with his words and with his hands. He wasn’t the only one fighting. During the Civil War, many former slaves fought for the Union, proving themselves in battle. They faced inferior pay, inferior promotions, and the possibility of being massacred after a surrender, an event that happened at Fort Pillow. Black soldiers in the Union army faced racism and horrible circumstances, but they bravely fought – and won – battles. Seeing the amount that African-Americans fought for their freedom is astounding. To claim otherwise would be an egregious

The truth stood that white people were the primary landowners, influencers, and legislators. It took their power and African-Americans’ efforts combined to overcome slavery. Angelina Grimké wrote, “Let [the Christian women of the South] embody themselves in societies, and send petitions up to their different legislatures, entreating their husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons, to abolish the institution of slavery” in 1836. Grimké was a white woman who was not enslaved. She gained no direct benefit from the end of slavery, but still used her power to further its destruction. Sometimes calls for the elimination of slavery were more business minded. David Wilmot spoke to Congress in 1847 to say, “I would preserve for free White labor a fair country, a rich inheritance, where the sons of toil, of my own race and own color can live”. Wilmot didn’t oppose slavery on moral grounds (Document H), but on financial ones. Still, he lent his voice and his influence to end slavery. Slavery could not have ended without the aid of white individuals, however, the end wouldn’t have started without the rebellion of the slaves