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Symbolism In Frederick Douglass

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Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist "What to the American slave is your Fourth of July?" These famous words by Frederick Douglass helped change the minds, of the citizens of Rochester, on the topic of slavery. Made Douglass one the main leaders for the anti-slavery movement. Helped change minds to be against slavery, and gave slaves hope. All of these were made possible through Douglass's speech which gave American slaves hope and the idea of freedom from the chains of slavery. Background of Frederick Douglass Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, aka Frederick Douglass, was born February 1818 as a slave. Frederick Douglass grew up near the town of Tuckahoe, Maryland on the Wye Plantation. Raised by his grandparents, because parents where always …show more content…

At eight years old his owner shipped young Douglass to Baltimore, never mind to see his mother again. While in Baltimore he had a better life than a normal slave would have. He got plenty of food and had decent clothes. His new owner's wife started to teach him how to read, but once the owner found out he made her stop teaching him. Douglass really wanted to read so he sought out the help of his friends to teach him how to read and write. Once he was good enough to read on his own he wanted books to read. He bought a book titled, "The Columbian Orator... It contained orations or great speeches, made by famous people," (Ruffin 20). He was already interested in speeches at a young age, little did he know he would grow up to be a famous speaker himself. Living in Baltimore had changed his life and he made Freedom his goal. When he was 15 years old he was once again moved to Covey's Farm near St. Michaels, Maryland. It was here that Douglass encountered severe beatings from Covey, sometimes for no reason. He …show more content…

First it helped to establish Douglass as a prominent leader in the anti-slavery movement. After giving the Fourth of July speech, "Douglass emerged as the principal spokesperson and leader for the race from the antebellum period until his death in 1895," (Calloway). This speech showed that Douglass was more than qualified as a speaker and a leader. Secondly, his speech gave slaves the hope they needed to fight on. Just years after this speech was given the Civil War would start and it would be the ultimate test of slavery versus anti-slavery. The slaves looked to Douglass for the light they needed to fight. Lastly, the speech helped to change the way people thought of slavery and how it is a horrible thing. He tried to convince people to help abolish slavery, or end it, and told them how it needed to be

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“And i now resolved that , however long I might remain a slave in form , the day had passed forever when I could be a slave in fact”. Frederick Douglass birth name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey. He was born into slavery in Talbot County , Maryland , around 1818. Douglass exact birth date and year is unknown. But he chose to celebrate his birthday in February 14.

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On July 4, 1852, Frederick Douglass was invited to celebrate Independence Day in Rochester, New York and was to give a speech. His intended audience was the general public in which he believed needed to hear his opinion. Frederick Douglass was a former slave who had escaped his torment in his early twenties. In his speech, Douglass argues to the American people that they have a pretentious attitude toward slaves' freedom. Douglass states his thesis when he says "America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false in the future."

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