Compare And Contrast Frederick Douglass And Slavery

Hernandez, Caitlin
Ms Medellin
English 3
6 April 2014 Slavery and Frederick Douglass In the 1800 's the United States was separated into different sections- The North and the South. They both had many differences but one of the most controversial differences was the issue of slavery. Thomas Jefferson believed that all men should be created equal and included anti-slavery in The Declaration of Independence (Skiba 318). But pressure from Southerner 's led to its deletion. Although at one point slavery was illegal there was still smuggling of slaves and many Southerner 's felt that it was good for the economy. More than a million African American 's were enslaved in the United States and were treated brutally (319). Frederick Douglass, a former slave, spoke of his experiences being a slave and not only how he survived but how he escaped. The purpose of this essay is to inform audiences the evil reality of slavery and the experiences of one slave, Frederick Douglass. Through literacy and
the will to survive, Douglass escaped one of the harshest battles for African American slaves in history. During the civil war era the North was a center for industrial manufacturing and favored high tariffs on imported goods (318).
The South was agricultural but also opposed high tariffs because they depended on imported goods. Between the North and the South the biggest difference was the issue of Slavery. When Thomas Jefferson included anti-slavery in The Declaration of Independence Southerners pressured to its deletion. As the plantation system developed Southerner 's depended on slaves to carry out harsh work on farms. Southerner 's felt that slaves helped the economy. Although the slave trade ended by law in 1808 there was still smuggling of slaves but by 1830 there were approximately 3 million slaves in the United States. Slaves worked sun up to sun down and were put through harsh conditions such as being whipped for minor offenses, being fed meagerly and being taken away from their family. This is evidence of how slavery began and how African American slaves were
treated. In the North there was a movement in ending slavery. The leader of the abolitionists was William Lloyd Garrison. His newspaper, “The Liberator” stood for an end of slavery. Publications from John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish 's Freedom Journal were important to anti-slavery. Abolitionists organized the Underground Railroad which was a guide to freeing slaves to the North. The system used railroad terms such as “Conductor” for those who helped slaves escape and “Station” was a stopping place. Through song African American 's gave directions to safely escape. Escaped slave Harriet Tubman 's was called the “Moses of her People” because of the large amount of slaves she rescued (6). Frederick Douglass, one of the most notable former slaves of this period was born in February 1818 in a slave cabin in Maryland. At a young age Douglass was separated from his mother and was raised by his grandmother. At age 6, his grandmother took him to the plantation and at age 8 he was sent to Baltimore to serve Hugh and Sophia Auld as a house boy. When he first arrived Sophia taught Douglass the alphabet but soon ended when Hugh opposed her lessons because it was unlawful to teach slaves how to read. In exchange for lessons Douglass gave food to poor children in the neighborhood. Douglass soon became aware of the slave world around him. At age 15 Douglass was sent to work for a harsh slave owner, Edward Covey, Mr. Covey and Douglass engaged in a physical altercation that gave Douglass a feeling of self worth and freedom. When he was 18 he attempted to escape but failed and was sent back to the Auld 's in Baltimore (“Ashort”). At age 20, Douglass successfully escaped to Bedford, Massachusetts by impersonating as a sailor. When he arrived in Bedford Douglass attended an anti-slavery convention and was compelled to speak about his slave experience. Douglass then became a lecturer for the anti-slavery society and a colleague of abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. Douglass was acknowledged as an uncompromising abolitionist, indefatigable worker for justice because of his will to never give up throughout his life as a slave. Frederick Douglass died February 20, 1895 in Anacostia, Washington Dc. Frederick Douglass was a man who was intelligent although he was raised in a place where intelligence isn 't allowed for slaves. Douglass believed in a philosophical tradition a major theme is a work of human nature (“Great Philosophers”). Human nature is described selfish because we act for only ourselves. A way of understanding human nature is by examining ones experiences. In Douglass ' autobiographies it shows human character since it exposes his experiences with the evil of slavery. In the narrative an example of human nature is Mrs. Sophia Auld, when she was introduced to Douglass as a sweet, kind person. Until her husband told her that she had “Irresponsible power”, she then transformed as a cruel slave owner. Douglass ' analysis of her change of character is that human nature strives towards equality but when circumstances block that direction it can deform into something evil. Douglass also emphasizes that his key to freedom was literacy for example: teaching himself to read enabled him to read documents to escape. Language is a social connection that leads to freedom (“Great Philosophers”). Douglass ' idea of freedom was derived from his strive for knowledge. In the beginning of the narrative Douglass talks about his unknown age and reveals that his slave owner might be his father. Douglass discusses how a slave owner creates his wealth on the plantation by impregnating his female slaves. Douglass then describes harsh living conditions for himself and other slaves. Douglass mentions in the book that religious slave owners are worse because they use the bible against slaves while abusing them (Douglass 62). Douglass is then sent to live with the Auld 's and learns the alphabet from Sophia Auld. Lessons soon end due to Sophia 's “Irresponsible power” said by her husband. As Douglass secretly receives lessons from poor street children he then learns about how worse the slave world is around him. Douglass reads about the abolitionists and an Irishman advises Frederick to escape. When Douglass finally does escape he receives help from abolitionists and escapes to the North. Douglass then comes across an anti-slavery convention and feels empowered to speak about his life as a slave. As Frederick is speaking he says that’s when he felt freedom. Not only were slaves physically hurt they were emotionally broken from the moment they were born. Frederick Douglass explains his experience as being a child taken away from his mother in his book by stating, “She [his mother] was long gone before I knew anything about it... I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger” (Douglass 18). This indicates that since he has been taken away from his mother at an early age he didn 't have a strong bond with his mother like an infant should have which made him feel no emotion when his mother died because he never knew her. Slaves did not only experience emotional abuse from being torn away from their mothers but they felt a sense of sorrow from not knowing their date of birth. Douglass states, “ I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell his birthday. They seldom come nearer to it then planting time... A want of information concerning my own [birthday] was a source of unhappiness to me even during childhood. The white children could tell their ages, I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of some privilege” (Douglass 17). Douglass ' emotions from not knowing his own birth date makes him feel unworthy since all the other children knew theirs, but slaves during that time were not given that same privilege because they were slaves so slave owners felt no need to keep record of their birth. Douglass also explains the worth of a slave to a slave master by stating, “We were all ranked together at the valuation. Men and women, old and young, married and single, were ranked with horses, sheep and swine... all holding the same rank in the scale of being and were all subjected to the same narrow examination” (Douglass 49). This shows how a slaves existence was insignificant to slave owners. A slaves dignity was being compared to an animal which ultimately resulted in how a slave owner had no respect for its slave. The issue of slavery separated a young nation because, the United States was separated on one major beliefs- the Southerner 's believed that slavery was beneficial to the economy and soon slavery became an institution. Although at one point it was illegal it didn 't stop slave owners from owning African American 's. Many slaves endured harsh conditions such as being meagerly fed or hardly clothed. But slaves weren 't only physically abused but they were emotionally scarred on a level such as being separated from their mothers at birth or even not knowing their own birthday. Although one man by the name Frederick Douglass was born into slavery his will to survive and education gave him a ticket to freedom. When Douglass escaped he became a spokesman for the abolition of slavery and is recognized as a relentless worker for equality and justice. Douglass ' personal story shows how a man can rise above slavery and make something of himself through the will of survival and education.

Works Cited
“Biography of Frederick Douglass-Champion of Civil and Women 's Rights” http://www.frederickdouglass.org/douglass_bio.html 23May 2012
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. New York: Dover Publications, 1995.
Great Philosophers: Frederick Douglass http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/modules/philosophers/douglass.edu 23 May 2012
Skiba, L., ed. Literature and the Language Arts: The American Tradition. St Paul: EMC/Paradigm Publishing , 2005