The Dark Ages were before the Renaissance, a time of intellectual darkness and barbarity where life itself is almost ‘missing’, because not much is known about it (The Editors). The 19th century could also be considered another, but colossally unalike, ‘Dark Ages’ to represent the hardships that each individual suffered (Colossal). It is a different dark from the actual Dark Ages, but with slavery, racism, and war, it has its reasons for being called the same thing. “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” and “Second Inaugural Address” were written in the 19th century where these subjects take place. The key points of it were abolitionists, slaves, and the war between the Confederates and the Union. Between these messes were two important people who both made their speeches specifically about slavery, equality, freedom, and war. Frederick Douglass was one of these important people. Born into slavery, he had no free will. As he read newspaper articles, political writings, and literature, Douglass, as if he had a seeing glass, finally figured out what slavery really was and, from there, he became an abolitionist. The second crucial person to speak was none other than Abraham Lincoln, the knowledge-thriving 16th president (Abraham). These two men agreed that their topics not be pushed any further. In “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Douglass uses pathos for strong emotions supported through diction to express the fact that the fourth of July is nothing to slaves, and it is a dead argument. Lincoln in “Second Inaugural Address” uses logos through sarcasm to indicate freedom and equality.
Douglass believed American slavery could not be debated any further. On the Fourth of July this man had created a powerful speech, but...
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Douglass spoke in support that if African American’s join to defeat the confederacy, they would be treated equal and slavery would be no more. Fredrick Douglass knew Aristotle’s Rhetoric well and, specifically, deliberative rhetoric which he applied (the three rhetorical appeals—ethos, pathos and logos) in not only writing about his own Life (The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave) but his speech as well. He employs these rhetorical devices in his 1863 speech, “Men of Color, To Arms.” The goal of deliberative writing is to persuade your audience of the truth you say and more importantly, of the benefit of your truth. Douglass empowers the people in his speech by directly noting that the advancement of racial equality will only benefit from us going to war. The use of Rhetoric was very beneficial to Douglass speech. Frederick Douglass employed them this way in “Men of Color, To Arms.” First, the use of pathos. Douglass shows the success that can come out of this and he reads to the states that he is succeeded. This gives the audience motivation to overcome the power that others had on them. The emotional aspects of the speech concurred with a ton of
After suffering the overwhelming ferociousness and inhumanity of being a slave for over two decades , a black man by the name of Fredrick Douglass fled from enslavement and began to make a concerted effort to advance himself as a human being. Combating many obstacles and resisting numerous temptations, Douglass worked assiduously to develop into a knowledgeable gentleman rather than the involuntary alternative of being an unenlightened slave. In doing so, Douglass successfully immerged as one of the Civil War era’s most prominent antislavery orators. From his first major public speech at the age of 23, Douglass became widely renowned as a premier spokesperson for Black slaves and the movement for the abolition of slavery. In one of Douglass’ most distinguished speeches, “The Meaning of July 4th for the Negro,” he uses the intermittent occasion of speaking on behalf of African Americans to a multitude of White Americans to outline arguments against slavery. In that very speech, Douglass made it clear that, like countless African Americans during this time period,
1.) Fredrick Douglass’s purpose in this speech was to explain the wrongfulness of slavery in America. Fredrick Douglass states in his speech “Are the great principles of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” and “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence, bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me.” These prove that the freedom and independence Americans have aren’t shared with the Africans when it should be that Africans have those rights as well. Frederick Douglass then talked about how badly whites treat blacks and how wrong it is. “There are 72 crimes in Virginia which, if committed by a black man, subject him to a punishment of death, while
The concept of the Other is dominant in Frederick Douglass’s text “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”, for it determines the main conflict and illuminates the issue of intolerance and even blasphemy regarding the attitude of white Americans towards Negroes. The text was written as a speech to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and delivered at Rochester’s Corinthian Hall on July 5, 1852. It was a remarkable articulation of the Black people voice living in the United States of America at that point of time because Black people were going through too much humiliation on physical and moral levels (Andrews, 1991, p.46).
The first example of detail is, “The point from which I am compelled to view them is not, certainly, the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration” (Douglass, Para. #1). The above quote explains his view point to citizens that he respects what they have to say but he doesn’t agree with their beliefs. The second example is when he showed his imagery, “Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful” (Douglass, Para. #3). This demonstrates the comparison of how he compared the slaves and the white and how they were treated very differently from each other. He used diction such as, “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me” (Douglass, Para #4). In this quote he describes the beliefs that's passed on to people and everyone believed the same things but he will not share the same opinion according to the celebration of July Fourth. Therefore, the idea to break down to his audience that are anti-slavery the way he feels July Fourth should be celebrated to
“Sincerely and earnestly hoping that this little book may do something toward throwing light on the American slave system, and hastening the glad day of deliverance to the millions of my brethren in bonds … relying upon the power of truth, love, and justice, for success in my … efforts and solemnly pledging myself anew to the sacred cause, I subscribe myself” (Douglass 76). With these words, Frederick Douglass (c. 1817-1895), an emancipated slave with no formal education, ends one of the greatest pieces of propaganda of the 19th century America: that slavery is good for the slave. He writes his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, as an abolitionist tool to shape his northern audience’s view of southern slaveholders. Through personal anecdotes, Douglass draws an accurate picture of slave life. Simultaneously, he chooses these events for how they will affect the northern audience’s opinion of southern slaveholders (Quarles ii). By using the written word, Douglass targets educated northern whites because they were the only group capable of changing the status quo. Illiterate northern whites and free northern blacks could not vote, while white Southerners would not vote because they did not want change. For that reason, Douglass used his life story as an instrument to promote abolition among literate northern whites (vi).
*Frederick Douglass, "Narrative of the Life Of Frederick Douglass," in The Classic Slave Narratives, ed. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (New York: Penguin Books, 1987)
Frederick Douglass's "Fourth of July" Speech is the most famous speech delivered by the abolitionist and civil rights advocate Frederick Douglass. It attracted a crowd of between five hundred and six hundred. Douglass’s speech to the slaves on the Fourth of July served to show the slaves that there is nothing for them to celebrate. They were not free and the independence that the rest of the country celebrated did not apply to them.
The effectiveness and excellent structure of Frederick Douglass’ Fourth of July speech is apparent. His rhetorical arguments served as powerful rebuts to opposing contentions and forced his audience to consider the undeniable error in their nation’s policy and approach regarding slavery. Douglass also compelled his audience to take his words seriously by establishing his credibility, recognizing his audience, and skillfully constructing and executing his speech. The end product of his efforts became a provocative speech at the time and a historical delivery in the future. Douglass succeeded in giving a speech that clearly and effectively argued the absurdity of the institution of slavery in America, leaving it up to his audience to consider his position and decide for themselves how to act in the future.
The second quote is from a famous Frederick Douglass speech about the fourth of July and what it means to enslaved African Americans. Douglass explains within the quote that the fourth of July holiday was not meant for African Americans. During the signing of the declaration of independence slavery was strong and all throughout the thirteen colonies of the United States. Douglass states the hypocrisy of this holiday because the men who wrote the declaration of independence and spoke of liberty and the pursuit of happiness were mostly slave holders. He also explains how these same men who were glad to rid their selves of their oppressors in England were the same men oppressing and doing far worse to African Americans. Douglass
Frederick Douglass made the most of his years after escaping from slavery in 1852. Douglass spread his words against slavery through being a well-known writer. Douglass was one of the most prominent reform leaders of his era (Foner, 481). A popular document written by Frederick Douglass on July 5th, 1852, spread some powerful words among the nation. Douglass’s speech was titled “What to the slave is the Fourth of July”. When his speech was published, his intended audience was his “fellow citizens” and those unaware that the Fourth of July was a day of mourning for slaves; unlike white Americans celebrating the day of freedom. The reason Douglass’s speech was published was to bring attention to the separation on the Fourth of July between white and black Americans. Even though Frederick Douglass was free he could not celebrate but mourn the day for horror of the past and presence of slave cruelty.
his own freedom in 1847, Douglass created The North Star, an abolitionist newspaper, and also wrote an autobiography. Douglass became a well respected author, and in 1852 was asked to give a speech in Rochester New York. In his speech the The Meaning of July Fourth to the Negro, which was delivered in Rochester New York on July 5, 1852. Douglass spoke of the nation 's problems with hypocrisy, and mistreatment of African Americans. Celebrating freedom and equality, yet there were millions of slaves who were being kept within America 's borders. Douglass’ audience was for the abolitionist who came to hear his speech, but his words influenced all. Douglass used ethos, pathos and logos to get his point across. His purpose of his speech was to rally up the abolitionist, and show other American people how wrong and hypocritical they’re being.
His main argument in the speech is that it 's unjust and hypocritical for a country to celebrate its freedom while it still has slaves. Now that in itself is a morally viable argument, and it has never been more relevant than today in our racially hate fueled world where every situation is turned into a hate crime. However, back in those days majority of slaves were sold into slavery by their own people. Most slaves were sold by rival tribes as prisoners of war, or trouble makers of the tribe, thus giving us the “bottom of the barrel” of the groups. Another counter to Douglass was that even though slaves were people, they were still considered property. A hard working farmer could have used his last penny in order to purchase that slave because he was unable to tend his farm and provide for his family. One common misconception was that all slaves were beaten and treated lower than swine, while to the contrary some were treated well being given a bed and meals every day in exchange for their hard work. While Douglass may have had a bad time under the ownership of Auld, most northern states did not treat their slaves in this manner. This is one of the main reasons Douglass learned how to read, yet no credit is given to his former owner. Most slaves developed a relationship with their owners, in which their owners taught them useful skills such as reading, writing, simple math and farming skills. Another argument brought into Douglass’ speech was that most churches were segregated, and in turn perpetuated the racism that helped keep slavery alive in well. He proposed that a God that wouldn’t allow such evil and disservice in this world would contradict everything the bible proposes and teaches. He praises the writers of the constitution, considering them his equal and thanking the signers of the Declaration of Independence, calling
After Captain Anthony died he had no will for Mrs. Lucretia and Master Andrew. To decide how to split the property “immediately Frederick Douglass was sent to be valued with the property.”(pg 58) This shows that slaves were deprived the right to be an actual human being. They were seen as property with a price above their heads. Also slaves were forced to celebrate holidays they don't didn’t believe in such as the 4th of July. When Frederick Douglass gives his speech about the 4th of July not being a holiday. He states that when he was a slave “he was compelled certainly the most favourable.” (What to the slave is the fourth of July) This shows that the slave owners have also taken away the slaves human right to make their own choices.
Frederick Douglass taught himself to read while still being a young slave in Maryland. He discovered that he was able to think and reason as any free man is able to do but yet he still isn’t freed. In the speech “From What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Douglass reminds them of how the Declaration of Independence includes the unfulfilled promise of equal liberty for