In 1776, on July 4th, the 13 English colonies officially declared their freedom from England. However, as the years progressed, slavery became incorporated into everyday American life. In 1852, former slave Frederick Douglass gave a speech to celebrate America’s independence; however, instead of praising the country, he censured Americans for saying they were a “country of the free”. In the speech, Hypocrisy of American Slavery, Frederick Douglass declares that Americans should not be celebrating their freedom when there are slaves living in the country. To convince his audience that Americans are wrong celebrating freedom on the 4th of July when slavery exists in their country, he uses emotional appeal, ethical appeal, and rhetorical questions.
The fourth of July and slaves really don’t mix. Frederick douglass was born as a slave and he does a speech on the fourth of july and they are thinking that he is going to give a whora speech but he dont do that it 's the complete opposite of what they thought. In frederick douglass, Hypocrisy of American Slavery he attacks the hypocrisy of a nation celebrating freedom and independence with speeches, parades and platitudes, while, within its borders, nearly four million humans were being kept as slaves. Overall douglass has explained his speech through emotional,ethical,logical appeal and through rhetorical questions.
Douglass believed that freedom for freed slaves was the ability to make decisions, regardless of the outcome, for one’s self. At the time, many white legislative members, both from the north and from the south, believed that laws needed to be made to regulate the former slave population. The North sought to save them from themselves, while the South attempted to control them back into a form of slavery through sharecropping and forced employment. Douglass instead insisted that the white populace should “Do nothing with us!” and that “[i]f the apples will not remain on the tree of their own strength, if they are…disposed to fall, let them fall!”
Fredrick was talking about how the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. An how America’s is the false to the past and the present. I believe the author wants his readers to know about the Fourth of July for the negro’s. He want the readers to know that the Fourth of July is for the slaves.
As, Abraham Lincoln said: “When I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.” Mark Twain, in his book continually criticizes the cruelty of human beings. One of the main themes that Mark Twain worked in his novel was the cruelty involved with Slavery. The life of a slave depicts that human beings are not always as benevolent as they appear to be. Twain in this novel exhibits the perfidious ways of slavery in America by ridiculing slavery’s outlandish ways.
Slavery in America began in the early 16th century, and lasted through the late 19th century. There were many people that believed that slavery was tolerable, and there were others that believed that it was an unacceptable cause. One of the many abolitionist of slavery, Frederick Douglass, wrote and delivered The Hypocrisy of American Slavery Speech on July 4, 1852 to a assemblage of other abolitionists. In Douglass’ speech, he attempts to display that slaves are human beings and should be treated as such. He establishes a sympathetic tone to grasp the attention of the people who are allowing slavery to continue happening.
Calhoun and Douglass both agree that freedom is a basic right, as stated in the constitution; unfortunately, a majority of blacks at this time are not able to acquire the basic right of freedom. Douglass is a prime example of how living as a slave means living without rights. Slave owners knew that the only way blacks could find out that they are not inferior to whites is if they read articles written by abolitionists and how the Constitution guaranteed American citizens basic rights. Denying slaves a basic education was one means that slave owners used in effort to control and to keep blacks enslaved. Whites were able to maintain their power by keeping their slaves as uneducated as possible.
This pamphlet was one of the first signs of the new abolitionism. Walker warned Americans that God would punish them if they did not put an end to slavery and called for black Americans to rally for abolition. He also wanted blacks to embrace who they were and what they were. He wanted them to take pride in African civilizations ' achievements and claim their rights as American born citizens. Walker 's pamphlet scared many Northerners and Southerners and he later died of mysterious circumstances.
Negroes do not choose to be black, they were born this way. Negroes with talents the world needed to see are kept captive by racism. Racism is a system of which one race see themselves as more superior than another race. In what universe does skin color make someone superior than another? If you truly believed that, then you are the true
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain showcases a story where society upholds racial discriminations that clearly set a line between slaves and those who own them. In the novel whites are superior while black people are below them and are practically just objects that can be sold and replaced. The way that society functioned and the abuse that Huck received is what made him decide to leave and find his freedom. Jim, a slave who was gonna be sold also decides to leave in order to obtain his freedom. Both Huck and Jim leave their homes and families to go on a journey to find their freedom.
The purpose of the Underground Railroad was to free slaves from the ownership of slave owners, and did just that. Over 100,000 thousand slaves were freed from slave owners, and they managed to live their own lives. While slaves escaping did bring about anti-black sentiment from the Southern States most clearly seen in the Fugitive Slave Act, it brought support for abolition because white people could see that all the slaves were just as human as the rest of them. This may not have changed their beliefs of inferiority, but it did change their beliefs that African Americans deserved such cruel treatment. After the awareness of the slaves’ capabilities and the living in communities with slaves, white people in the North that still supported slavery changed their stance after seeing first hand that black people, not just the few free blacks, were similar to everyone else.
In 2016 slavery is but a distant memory, an embarrassing moment in history. In the 1800s Slavery was alive; it was a perfect for the white southerners, not for the African Americans. In Frederick Douglass’s Book, “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” Frederick shows us how slavery was cruel and harsh, how it corrupted slaveowners, and how bad the slaves lives were. Frederick shows us what the slaveowners would do to the slaves, and how the slaves would live in fear.
Thomas Paine was opposed to slavery due to the quote he said. "Slave, who is proper owner of his freedom, has the right to reclaim it, however often sold." He goes on to say the African slaves were forced into the slavery due to the Europeans bring liquor to there land, bribing one against another, and hiring tribes to fight other tribes. Thomas Paine was an original member of the Anti Slavery formed in Philadelphia.
They all show different way on how they feel why slavery is wrong for example The Meaning of Fourth of July for the Negro Fredrick Douglas states that “also the documents have a different historical impact each document explains the concern of slavery but they have a bigger idea to it. In the speech about “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” the impact that it has is it gets people aware of the problem of having the fourth of July and being free when there still slavery Fredrick say in his speech that” what, to the American slave, is your fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.” But in the slave song Swing Low, Sweet Chariot had a different impact it had on the abolishment of slavery the songs did not have a direct effect on the abolishment of slavery but a message to the north to help runaway slave get to the north and freedom.
After a few generations of slaves have born and died in America they were no longer people brought from Africa. After a few generations they would be considered African-Americans and not just Africans. African-American poets wrote some of the most emotional poetry. While the majority of their poetry was aimed at slaves, their messages can apply to anyone going through tough times. Their message can apply to anyone hiding their emotions and 'putting on a brave face ' as the saying goes.