Frederick Douglass Dbq

Blayne Stonecipher

U.S. In Global Perspective

Dr. Peter Porsche

4/15/2023

Frederick Douglass: A Man Partial to None

Many figures throughout American history have earned the right to be named champions of liberty. One man who deserves this title is Frederick Douglass because of his work and pursuit of abolition, his constitutional ideals, and his grounding in always doing what is right, regardless of the cost. I have no doubt that Frederick Douglass is an obvious choice when deciding who should be considered a champion of liberty, however, I would like to delve deeper into the obvious issues and explain more than just what Douglass did that was so important in cultivating American liberty, but why he did those things. It is important to scrape

A part of Douglass’s life which is little discussed in the American Public classroom is his private arguments with, then president, Abraham Lincoln. These debates reveal the argumentative genius Douglass was, and his fiery-eyed pursuit of liberty for all men, under God, henceforth and always. Frederick Douglas believed that “A simple leaden bullet and a few grains of powder are sufficient in the shortest limit of time to blast and ruin all that is precious in human existence.” By this, in reference to Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address, he meant that Lincoln’s efforts were vital to the raging battle against the evil of slavery. However, Douglass had his disagreements. He is documented as having had a sharp tone with President Lincoln upon their first meeting, and he rebuked him harshly for his slow-emancipation philosophy. After months of building a friendship with Lincoln, though, Douglass came to respect and see the legitimacy of his position more and more as their arguments became increasingly friendly and persuasive. This relationship caused Douglass to be a more open-minded and cooperative abolitionist. He wanted liberty for all, and he wanted it done lawfully and peacefully, just as did “The black man’s

His morals were so deeply entrenched in those of Christ’s that he could not help but continue to grow in his love for mankind every day, and hate the wicked acts of the world more with every passing moment. Abolishing slavery was not at all about quality of life or prosperous living to Douglass, but about establishing justice and peace on the earth. He knew that God alone informs good will and defines what righteousness is. So, just as God is the Great Liberator of all men, Douglass, in his imitation of Him, became a liberator for those to whom he was entrusted, namely: African-American slaves. Even as a child, when playing with his free friends, his “playfellows had no tendency to weaken [his] love of liberty.” From childhood, Douglass had ingrained in him that same moral virtue which is the right of all mankind, the right to be free, the right to liberty. This is the foremost reason why Frederick Douglass should be considered a champion of liberty. He sought to do what was right because it was good, and he knew it was good because God had declared it to be