How The Rhetorical Devices Used To Make The Case Against Slavery

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"Slavery is theft -- theft of a life, theft of work, theft of any property or produce, theft even of the children a slave might have borne." Slavery is a very harsh thing that was going on back then. Slavery started in 1619 in Jamestown, Virginia. African Americans didn't have the same privileges as the Caucasian people. Abolitionists, people who were against slavery made a case against slavery. While making this case they used a lot of different techniques. Abolitionists made the case against slavery by asking rhetorical questions, writing newspapers and letters to approach the public, and antithesis. The first case against slavery was write letters,newspaper,etc. to get the audiences attention. They picked writing in a newspaper because they knew that people was going to get the newspaper and read it, and maybe the people that are reading the newspaper would try to stop slavery or at least try to help the slaves. They also wrote newspapers so that their ideas can get to the public and their point that they are trying to get across will be heard. Frederick Douglas wrote a letter to his master so that his voice and opinion can be acknowledged. …show more content…

"A rhetorical question is a device used to persuade or subtly influence the audience. It's a question asked not for the answer, but for the effect. Oftentimes, a rhetorical question is used to emphasize a point or just to get the audience thinking" In the speech "Ain't I a Women" Harriet Tubman was asking a rhetorical question. She asked this so the people can think about her point that she is trying to get across. She was basically trying to ask like she is a women too so why doesn't she get the same privileges that a white women could get? She wanted the audience to really think about this question she is