In "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, Douglass refers to the Declaration of Independence. Which of the following best describes the historical significance of this reference?
Which line from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” supports Douglass’s claim that the Fourth of July is not a cause worthy of celebration by all?
Read the excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”When the dogs in your streets, when the fowls of the air, when the cattle on your hills, when the fish of the sea, and the reptiles that crawl, shall be unable to distinguish the slave from a brute, then will I argue with you that the slave is a man!What effect does the repetition of the word “when” have?
Read the excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.How does the repetition of the word “must” affect the tone of the piece?
Which best describes the effect of the repetition of the word “I” throughout "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
How does the speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” relate to life in the United States during Douglass’s time?
Read the excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”Is it not astonishing that, while we are ploughing, planting, and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges, building ships, working in metals of brass, iron, copper, silver and gold; that, while we are reading, writing and ciphering, acting as clerks, merchants and secretaries, having among us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators and teachers; that, while we are engaged in all manner of enterprises common to other men, digging gold in California, capturing the whale in the Pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hill-side, living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian’s God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!Based on the excerpt above, what was most likely true about this time in the nation’s history?
Read the excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a question for Republicans? Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to be understood?What do the rhetorical questions in the excerpt suggest?
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