Roger A Montminy
Dr. Stephen P. Sayles
History 110
July 8, 2013
An American Slave The novel, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, by Frederick Douglass, was published in Boston, by the Anti-Slavery Office, No. 25 Cornhill in 1845. In his preface, William Lloyd Garrison pledges that Douglass's Narrative is "essentially true in all its statements; that nothing has been set down in malice, nothing exaggerated" (Douglass viii). Likewise, Wendell Phillips pledges "the most entire confidence in Douglass' truth, candor, and sincerity" (xiv). Douglass uses a primary source, himself and his experiences throughout this novel. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is a first-hand account of the brutality of slavery as told by an actual slave. He focuses on the brutality of the institution of slavery, and the demoralizing practices that slave holders use in order to control the slave population. Douglass, who was born into slavery, describes his experiences as a slave and what made him decide to escape his bondage and race to freedom. Douglass begins his narrative with his firsthand accounts. He knows that his birthplace is in Tuckahoe, Maryland but is unsure of when he was born. He has no accurate knowledge of his age and he has some idea, but is unsure, who his father is. Douglass notes that it was "whispered that my master was my father. . . but the means of knowing was withheld from me" (Douglass 21). He recalls that he was separated from his mother and that he saw her only four or five times in his life (20). Douglass explains that this separation of mothers from children, and lack of knowledge about age and paternity, was common among slaves that it was the wish of most masters to keep their slaves ignorant (19). Growing up on the plantation of Colonel Edward Lloyd, Douglass witnesses brutal whippings of various slaves, male and female, old and young. But for the most part, he describes his childhood as a typical or representative story, rather than a unique or individual narrative. Douglass writes that, "[His] own treatment. . . was very similar to that of the other slave children" (Douglass 42). The early chapters of his narrative emphasize the status of slaves and the nature of slavery over his individual experience. Douglass states that he had no bed, but that he would sleep on the cold, damp, clay floor, with his head in a sack for carrying corn and his feet exposed (27). This description explicitly links Douglass' experience back to that of the other slaves, "…old and young, male and female, married and single, drop down side by side, on one common bed,—the cold, damp floor,—each covering themselves with their miserable blankets" (27). At age seven, Douglass is sent to work for Hugh Auld, a ship carpenter in Baltimore. Douglass states that working in the city, as a slave, is almost like being a freeman, compared to a slave on the plantation (Douglass 49). The young Douglass' growing sense of freedom is due in part to his new master's wife, Sophia Auld, who began to teach Douglass the alphabet (48). However, Hugh soon puts a stop to these reading lessons, warning his wife that teaching Douglass to read would forever ruin him as a slave (48). Douglass takes this lesson to heart, noting that this incident only inspired him and made him more determined to learn (48). It took seven years for Douglass to succeed in learning to read and write and he mentions various ways he used like offering bread to hungry white children in exchange for reading lessons. At the age of twelve, just after he learned to read, Douglass encounters The Columbian Orator, a collection of political essays, poems, and dialogues. Douglass thoughts of being “a slave for life” (Douglass 53) focuses on the master‑slave dialogue and the speech on behalf of Catholic emancipation. These pieces help Douglass to articulate why slavery is wrong, both philosophically and politically. The Columbian Orator then becomes a symbol
DC American History Pre-civil war issues Slaver, economics, politics Slave Revolt No successful slave revolts in American history. Wilmot Proviso Added amendment to the bill of rights saying that no land obtained from Mexico could ever have slaves. This was one of the many attempts by the free state government trying to take pieces of the country at a time to make the US slave free. Fredrick Douglas Runaway slave that stayed in America after running away and goes public with his life…
The music of slavery refutes two common assumptions: first, that the Middle Passage stripped slaves of their African traditions; and second, that slaves were so powerless that they had little influence on American culture at large. African American music under slavery retained many African elements. There was a striking continuity in instrumentation. Enslaved Africans either carried African instruments with them or reconstructed them in the New World. These included percussive, string, and wind…
he was a slave and he was so intelligent. Therefore, he wrote “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas an American Slave Written by Himself” to prove his identity while shedding light upon his memories as a slave. Frederick was born in Talbot county, Maryland to Harriet Bailey, a black woman. It’s know only through speculation that his father was his white master or just a white man. This is how he identified himself as a mulatto. Frederick’s recollection of his African American mother is…
nation; explain key events that led up to the revolutionary war, and the establishment of the new government under the constitution. Give three (3) examples of how this period was important to U.S. history in the 20th century. The leaders of the American Revolution did three things to create our new nation; one, they sought independence from Britain, formed union of 13 states, and committed their states to a republic instead of a monarchy. There are many events that lead to the rise of war. One…
for centuries. The Bible, viewed by many as a compendium of social as well as religious truth, did not condemn slavery.Texas caused controversy from the day it declared independence from Mexico in 1836. Southerners badly wanted Texas to become a new slave state in the Union, for they believed that westward expansion of slavery was vital to their socioeconomic system. Northern Whigs, however, didn’t want slavery to spread any further than it already had, so they blocked the annexation of Texas in 1836…
Antebellum Slave Culture To begin explaining the antebellum slave culture it would best to start with the meaning of antebellum: belonging to the period before the war especially the American Civil War according to Merriam-Webster dictionary. The word slave means a person held in servitude as the chattel of another (Merriam-Webster). The slave culture in Africa begun when Africans enslaved other Africans if they were criminals serving a punishment or captured in war, however, the treatment of these…
enslaved African-Americans living in the Antebellum South, achieved their freedom in various ways—one being religion—before the demise of the institution of slavery. It was “freedom, rather than slavery, [that] proved the greatest force for conversion among African Americans in the South” (94). Starting with the Great Awakening and continuing long after the abolition of slavery, after decades of debate, scholars conceptualized the importance of religion for enslaved African-Americans as a means of…
African American Literature 29 January 2015 Malloy 1 African American religion during the colonial period “When there is no vision, there is no hope.”- George Carver. African Americans embraced religion during the colonial period. Most African Americans were converted to Christianity through slavery. But religion for African Americas gave them a reason to live everyday through harsh enslavement. Blacks would hold secret church meetings at night while the master was sleeping. The first slaves struggled…
this time. When these African slaves arrived in America Christianity thrived throughout the land. These African slaves were forced to give up there Islamic and polytheistic beliefs and force convert to Christianity. The conversion of the African slaves into Christianity was due to the fact that their new white American owners felt that is was their “Christian duty “to save the African souls from their heathen ways. Two of the front runners of converting slaves to Christianity were George Whitfield…
Chapter 9 African americans : past and present Submitted by: Sashia Easter Chapter outline The definition of Racial Groups Ancestry of African Americans Slavery Concerns: Political, Social, and Cultural Legislation in in African Americans History Conclusion/ Summary Key Terms Citations/ References/ Resources In this chapter you will Learn How to define Racial Groups Experiences of African Americans Througout History Political, Social, and Cultural Concerns Legislation in African American History Constraining…