Frederick Douglass believed that the Constitution was an anti-slavery document. Principles of the Constitution blatantly oppose slavery, and therefore the Constitution is a vital tool to utilize as a means of abolishing slavery. Douglass was first introduced to William Lloyd Garrison and his writings after he became a free man. Douglass would eventually depart from Garrison’s view of the Constitution, but this was not his initial reaction to Garrison’s principles. Douglass states that he was enamored by Garrison and his fiery denunciation of slavery.
This article discusses how Frederick Douglass uses irony, rhetorical devices, and facts to argue that slavery is not sanctioned by the Constitution. - Frederick Douglass was an American slave born in Maryland in 1817. He escaped slavery at the age of twenty and became an impressive orator. His work is a prime example of what can be accomplished when using rhetorical devices effectively. In his narrative, Douglass cites examples from the Constitution that support his argument against slavery.
In denying the use of the abolitionist’s fathers for their own benefit, Douglass is presenting a deliberative genre. This genre, in the form of an assembly, persuades his audience to act in the present, for hope in the future. Furthermore, Douglass’ issue at hand, of convincing his audience to avoid dwelling in their father’s actions, describes a translative status. The translative status is apparent through Douglass’ opinions that “We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future. To all inspiring motives, to noble deeds which
Although from different eras, both Douglass and Rowlandson use similar techniques such as religion, repetition, and sentimentalism to show that being held captive and slavery is wrong. America was founded on Christian beliefs, so Douglass attacked that. He states, “If the churches and ministers of our country were not stupidly blind, or most wickedly indifferent, they, too, would so regard it” (Douglass 1037) Douglass is making a bold move that will spark controversy. He uses statements like this to keep the audience’s attention.
After civil war in US, black people got freed from slavery. Even though the government passed the amendment thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, to give equal right for blacks, people in south were still struggling with discrimination of skin and color. Additionally, in distance states the law was not getting implemented and people were unprotected. Therefore, Douglass Fredericks sends a vivid message to the congress to make them aware of illegal activities. The author intent in this passage was to save people from getting tortured by whites and he wanted to make the government to take action across the US.
Furthermore, Douglass skillfully adds historical references throughout his argument, particularly by using the principles of the Constitution. He highlights the contradiction between the nation's ideas of freedom and equality when the government then denies these principles to a significant portion of the population. By showing the audience the nation’s founding values and the fight against slavery, Douglass challenges the audience to live up to and prove the idea of the country’s
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.
Douglass claimed that although slavery was abolished, blacks were living under a different kind of slavery after the Civil war. Discrimination and racism was prominent and there were few laws enforced. “So long as discriminatory laws ensured defacto white control over Southern blacks, then ‘slavery by yet another name’ persisted. ‘Slavery is not abolished,’ he contended, ‘until the black man has the ballot’ with which to defend his interests and freedom.” (Howard-Pitney 485).
In “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, Douglass narrates in detail the oppressions he went through as a slave before winning his freedom. In the narrative, Douglass gives a picture about the humiliation, brutality, and pain that slaves go through. We can evidently see that Douglass does not want to describe only his life, but he uses his personal experiences and life story as a tool to rise against slavery. He uses his personal life story to argue against common myths that were used to justify the act of slavery. Douglass invalidated common justification for slavery like religion, economic argument and color with his life story through his experiences torture, separation, and illiteracy, and he urged for the end of slavery.
Annotated bibliography Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print.
One of the strategies Douglass uses to convince his audience slavery should be abolished is by “calling out American hypocrisy in his Fourth of July oration” (Mercieca 1). He shames them with no remorse. He speaks on the opposite treatments that enable whites to live in a state of freedom and liberty, while the blacks are living in a state of bondage. As the audience listens, he reminds them, there are men, women and children still held hostages to the chains of
Douglass argues that slavery has a horrible effect and it is a bad thing. One piece of evidence is when in excerpt 3 paragraph 3 the text states that ¨Mr. Covey gave us enough to eat, but scarce time to eat it.¨ Another piece of evidence is in excerpt 4 paragraph 12 ¨Causing blood to run where I touched him with the ends of my fingers.¨ This shows that slavery is a thing that can cause pain and has a horrible effect on slaves. This disproves people who believed that was a good thing because this shows that someone can get hurt when they are enslaved.
Douglass was tired of his master taking control over him, so he fought back against slavery. Douglass tries to prove the point of anti-slavery and racial arguments, relating to the Scientific
He proclaims that "…While we are…living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian's God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!" By showing the mundanity of the slave, Douglass shows the audience that the slaves are human and therefore unable to be considered property. He forces his audience to examine their own lives and realize their similarities to the slaves and the hypocrisy of slavery. He doesn't give his audience a chance to disagree with his stance on slavery because he makes such a blunt argument. Douglass asks again, "Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man?
The last book I read was the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. This narrative was written by Frederick Douglass himself when slavery was popular in the 1800s. He was an American slave who learned to read fought to become free. I choose this book because we were required to read a narrative or autobiography written by a historical figure. I choose this book because I realized that I wanted to learn more about what life must have been like for slaves in their everyday life, and would also relate to my Early American History class.
