How Did Frederick Douglass Contribute To The Freedom Movement

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Utsuk Adhikari Mr. Bergren English 10 30 April 2024 Frederick Douglass In the time before Frederick Douglass, Black Americans had no rights, and they were enslaved on plantations. Enslaved people also had no education and could not read. Slavery can be traced back in America to as far as 1619. Slaves were brought to America from Africa during the Columbian Exchange. People would then buy and sell the enslaved people like they were their property. The enslaved people who were put to work in plantations knew nothing about the place, but they were forced to work very lengthy hours every day with little food and sleep. Fredrick Douglass said, “I didn’t know I was a slave until I found out I couldn’t do the things I wanted.” - The Life of Frederick …show more content…

The. In the 1800s, enslaved people were seen as property of their masters. They would have no rights and they would not be allowed to leave the plantation. In 1838 Frederick Douglass ran away from this plantation and escaped slavery. After escaping, he greatly influenced the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. According to the article, Agitation and Activism: The Life and Legacy of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass’ constant suggestions to President Lincoln, helped lead to the signing of the emancipation in January of 1863. The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, legally made all enslaved people free and gave them the same rights as all other people. Despite enslaved people being legally free as per the Emancipation Proclamation, they were still not truly free. This is because at this time the South had separated from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. Because the South had split from the United States, the terms of the Emancipation did not apply to them. Therefore for enslaved people to be truly free, the North, also known as the Union, had to beat the Confederacy in the Civil War. Frederick Douglass helped the Union win the war by recruiting former and current slaves to fight for the