Summary: The Horrors Of Slavery Through The Eyes Of Fredrick Douglass
The Horrors of Slavery Through the Eyes of Fredrick Douglass
Many people were oblivious to the corruption behind slavery. Fredrick Douglass was privileged enough to learn how to read, a trait extremely rare among African Americans during times of slavery. Unlike others, he knew that the key to becoming a free man was to learn how to read and write. Through this skill alone, he was able to expose slavery for the disgusting act it is. Trying to convince whites to side with abolition, he talked about the oppression of slaves through dehumanization, torture, and malnutrition. The only way for slavery to be maintained was to keep slaves ignorant and this was done in various ways. Slavery was justifiable to Christians under something called the protestant work ethic which is the basis for capitalism today. Protestants believed in predestination, it says that at birth a person’s fate is already decided and unchangeable. However, protestants took wealth as a sign of salvation, slavery was a way to gain maximum wealth with additional benefit. “I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the most appalling barbarity, - a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,” (38).
Slaves had to be dehumanized in order for them to be okay with the way they were treated. …show more content…
Slaves needed to know that if they weren’t up to par that they would be punished. To Douglass, punishment was an understatement the brutal, horrific, and inhumane beatings. In one chapter Douglass recalls seeing his Aunt Hester being whipped in vivid detail. “It was a most terrible spectacle. I wish I could commit to paper the feelings with which I beheld it” (16). Slave masters took their anger out on their slaves, Douglass was whipped many times throughout his time as a slave. Slaveholders had no consequences for their beating. “It was worth a half-cent to kill a 'nigger,' and a half-cent to bury one,"
Many people were oblivious to the corruption behind slavery. Fredrick Douglass was privileged enough to learn how to read, a trait extremely rare among African Americans during times of slavery. Unlike others, he knew that the key to becoming a free man was to learn how to read and write. Through this skill alone, he was able to expose slavery for the disgusting act it is. Trying to convince whites to side with abolition, he talked about the oppression of slaves through dehumanization, torture, and malnutrition. The only way for slavery to be maintained was to keep slaves ignorant and this was done in various ways. Slavery was justifiable to Christians under something called the protestant work ethic which is the basis for capitalism today. Protestants believed in predestination, it says that at birth a person’s fate is already decided and unchangeable. However, protestants took wealth as a sign of salvation, slavery was a way to gain maximum wealth with additional benefit. “I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the most appalling barbarity, - a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,” (38).
Slaves had to be dehumanized in order for them to be okay with the way they were treated. …show more content…
Slaves needed to know that if they weren’t up to par that they would be punished. To Douglass, punishment was an understatement the brutal, horrific, and inhumane beatings. In one chapter Douglass recalls seeing his Aunt Hester being whipped in vivid detail. “It was a most terrible spectacle. I wish I could commit to paper the feelings with which I beheld it” (16). Slave masters took their anger out on their slaves, Douglass was whipped many times throughout his time as a slave. Slaveholders had no consequences for their beating. “It was worth a half-cent to kill a 'nigger,' and a half-cent to bury one,"