Frederick Douglas's The Hypocrisy Of American Slavery

Hypocrisy has been alive for many decades throughout the United states. Hypocrisy is the act of stating that one has certain beliefs, but their actions contradict their words. In Federick Douglass’s speech he mentions multiple acts that the American people commit, therefore classifying them as “hypocrites”. A toulmin analysis of Douglass’s speech highlights the claim that American society behaves hypocritically by celebrating independence and simultaneously denying freedom to slaves and such analysis also clarifies supporting grounds and corresponding warrants for this claim.
Douglass states his claim in in his title “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery”. Douglass firmly states that America is founded upon the glamorized lie of equality and freedom, while they condemning colored people to slavery and segregation therefore …show more content…
America claims to be the land of the free and equality, but through unfair treatment of black people they are being dishonest to their countries citizens. They can not claim liberty and equality when a grand proportion of their population lives under discrimination and segregation. Douglass states that the fourth of July is not a date to be celebrated for the black people, “What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”, but instead a day to mourn over the lack of freedom and independence. This quote means that while the white people get to celebrate their independence the colored folks are still left in the shadows. This also qualifies the claim by giving further explanation on why The United States are unjust. Douglass argues that the Americas should not claim to be something their not when their country is contradicting its constitution through its repetitive