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How Did Frederick Douglass View Of The Constitution

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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. Douglass discusses that the Liberator “made no truce with the traffickers in the bodies and souls of men,” and that Garrison preached “sinless perfection, complete submission to insults and
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He spoke impromptly in many places, but his most famous speech that helped to kick start his role in the anti-slavery movement, was in Nantucket where he told the story of his life as a slave. This speech was so moving that one of the attendees, Lloyd Garrison, asked him to become a public speaker for the American Anti-Slavery Society. Shortly after he joined the American Anti-Slavery Society, Douglass published his first autobiography entitled, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. During this time, he was also writing for many different newspapers, such as North Star, Fredrick Douglass’ Paper, and Douglass’ Monthly. Fredrick was a very strong advocate for the freedom of slaves and worked very closely with President Lincoln to help fight for freedom.

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Carlos Guerrero December 8 2015 Professor Eric Schlereth History 1301 – Section 006 William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison was an American journalist who was well known for published newspaper titled, The Liberator. William Lloyd Garrison was a tremendous advocate for the abolishment of slavery. One of William Lloyd Garrison’s major beliefs was that the U.S. Constitution was the result of a terrible bargain between freedom and slavery. He called the Constitution a “covenant with death” and “agreement with hell.”

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Garrison and his followers advocated the abolition of slavery on moral grounds but did not support armed resistance. Lloyd William Garrison appears in the novel in the very beginning of the novel in the preface. In his preface, people didn't believe that a slave was capable of writing his own autobiography. William Lloyd Garrison's preface is there to help Douglass prove that he wrote the book on his own. In order to prove that he wrote the book on his own, he needs the validation of a white man.

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Ira Berlin's “”I Will Be Heard!” : William Lloyd Garrison and the Struggle Against Slavery” shows there are a few large influences which help steer William Lloyd Garrison's vehement opinions regarding abolition and equal treatment of blacks. They include; his evangelical faith, his “exuberant idealism that had it roots in the radicalism of the American Revolution,” and most importantly his partnership with Benjamin Lundy(Berlin). Lundy had the experience of years on the road visiting slave states and brought an appreciation to Garrison about “the evil that was chattel bondage”(Berlin). Lundy's influence on Garrison is important because he delivered first hand knowledge and visualizations of the horror of slavery to Garrison.

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Many said watching him speak in person came with “bragging rights”. Even William Lloyd Garrison, a famous and highly respected abolitionist, was moved by Douglass’s words. Garrison believed Douglass could end slavery by campaigning around the country, telling his story. Douglass could make anyone that heard him hate slavery more than they had in their entire life before that moment. Douglass was one of the first fugitive slave speakers, and one of the only escaped slaves that were knowledgeable enough to do so.

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Frederick Douglass, who was a towering figure of the abolitionist movement, initially believed the United States Constitution was pro-slavery. In Douglass’s article written in 1849, he enumerates the Article 1, section 2 to explain the clause of three fifth is just to compromise on the huge amount of slaveries but not for giving slavery with practical power. Afterward, he changed his view that a black man is indeed worth a complete person in a free State. Moreover, Douglass argues that the first article, ninth section of the Constitution is an authorization of the slave trade over twenty years. However, Williams points out that Douglass claims the Constitution is not encouraging slavery, whereas it is encouraging to gain freedom which means

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The story Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass is a tale of a colored man’s atrocious experience during his brief period in the shackles of slavery. His incredible sense of wit, ability to grasp knowledge, and amazing aptitude for strategy brought him to become an educated, free colored man who could share his appalling experiences with us today. Fredrick Douglass’s credibility can be questioned, for it is quite a difficult feat to be able recall every accounted-for incident that has occurred in his past. At least, for the purposes of Douglass’s religious persecution, Garrison answers this question for readers by assuring that, in one instance, Douglass’s words were “sustained by a cloud of witnesses, whose veracity is unimpeachable”

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On the other hand, the North had contrasting viewpoints about the moral aspect of slavery. They believed that people of all color should be treated equally and with the same respect. William Lloyd Garrison, an abolitionist and journalist, wrote an anti-slavery newspaper called The Liberator. He advocated for the emancipation of all slaves, but did not think they could or would want to assimilate into the American society. Garrison’s motive for his newspaper was, “Let Southern oppressors tremble - let their secret abettors tremble - let their Northern apologists tremble - let all the enemies of the persecuted blacks tremble.

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Frederick Douglass was an important figure during his time. He worked hard and influenced so many events and so many people. He was an enslaved man who escaped after being enslaved for 20 years and then moved on to write about his experiences and help others. Frederick Douglass’ experiences and contributions to the abolitionist movement positively impacted the movement due to his speeches, autobiographies, and his push for equal rights among all races. Frederick Douglass made speeches in order to advocate for civil rights.

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Both Frederick and Lincoln’s opinions on slavery were alike. Similarly, they both fought for the rights of slaves and believed slavery was not moral, both advocated for the abolition of slavery (although Lincoln did not in the beginning), and for the basic rights of slaves. The inconsistencies Frederick Dougless identified within the founding principles and the current situation of African Americans was that the Declaration of Independence stated that there was freedom for all yet slavery was still around during this time. The only people who did have full natural rights were rich white males, on the contrary, slaves did not have the same privilege as white males. For example, if a black man committed the same crime, he would be punished to death, but a white man would only be punished after the second time.

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298 Words | 2 Pages

In Douglass’s “The Constitution and Slavery,” he begins by warning his reader that although he may hold one particular opinion today if presented honest and compelling evidence he may change it tomorrow (pg. 37). Douglass also acknowledges nuances in interpretations of the Constitution among anti-slavery groups who may agree with his opinion or oppose it (pg. 38). With these disclaimers in mind, Douglass goes on to elaborately explain his stance that Constitution does allow slavery in both vague and explicit terms. (pg. 39)

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Garrison went out of his way to promote anti-slavery in the most radical ways like creating an anti-slavery newspaper . In “Declaration of Sentiments of the American Anti-Slavery Society” (doc e) Garrison discusses the topic of American ideals and how slavery shouldn’t be apart of it which could have possibly brought upon more individuals to become apart of the movement. During this point and time, it was very important to understand the point of view from an actual slave in deep description and that’s exactly what Fredrick Douglass does. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (doc g), Douglass describes his experiences, this pretty much speaks for every other slave who wasn't able to say these things out loud or at all. Because Fredrick Douglass was one of the most famous activists, many listened to what he had to say and it made sense to be on the right side.

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Frederick Douglass disproved two misconceptions slaveholders and Northerners had. Frederick Douglass was a slave that escaped and became an abolitionist. His purpose was to disprove two misconceptions that Northerners had. The two positions that he's justifying are slavery corrupts slaveholders and slavery disrupts the natural order in society. Slavery disrupted the natural order of society.

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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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Douglass’s position differ from those who supported slavery is that people who supported slavery, they thought it was a natural thing to do because on the Document “ Slavery a positive Good” on paragraph 1 it says, “ To maintain the existing relations between two races, inhabiting that section of the Union, is indispensable to the peace and happiness of both…. But let me not be understood as admitting, even by implication, that the existing relations between two races in the slaveholding states is an evil: - far otherwise; I hold to be good, as it has thus far proved itself both, and will continue to prove so if not disturbed by the fell spirit of abolition.” What this piece of evidence is saying is that slavery is a good thing and not a bad thing and that abolition should stop. Another way that Frederick Douglass’s position is different from people that support is that people who support slavery is that the people who support slavery has a different perspective of what is right and what is wrong because on the Document “ Slavery a Positive Good” paragraph 2 it says,” I hold in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two is, instead of an evil, a good- a positive good… I hold then, that

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