The Slave Trade was a dark period in American history. For greater than two centuries, Africans were taken from their homes and forced into slavery. Humans belonged to humans and could be legally starved, beaten, or worse, killed. Africans were considered property and they were forced to work without pay. For a group of people that was once free, slavery was the dark ages. When we look back at how people thought during those times, it seems like the Dark Ages. Martin Luther King is quoted as saying “darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that”. Frederick Douglass, a former slave that became a scholar and activist, was a light in those dark times. Through his writing and speeches he helped to shine a light on the darkness that
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The article Pro Slavery Arguments in the Antebellum South illustrates, “Much of the American South believed that slavery was vital to the continuation of its livelihood and lifestyle and therefore defended the institution of slavery.” But Douglass’ position differed from those who supported slavery. Douglass had escaped to the North and had seen that in the North, people could survive without slavery. All types of people worked, not just Black people. Douglass also believed that he was not so different than white people. He knew that he learned how to read and probably believed other slaves could learn how to read if they had the opportunity. (QUOTE) He gave speeches and believed that he could deliver his anti-slavery message well. He did not believe that just because someone was Black that they were not smart. He did not believe that just because people looked differently, that slavery was positive thing. Unfortunately, people that believed in slavery thought that “the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two is, instead of an evil, a good - a positive good”. (“Slavery a Positive Good”) Since, Douglass had witnessed so many bad and painful parts of slavery like when he saw a slaveholder “whip a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at a time; and this, too, in the midst of her crying children, pleading for their mother’s release” (pg 7). He saw the negative of
The article Pro Slavery Arguments in the Antebellum South illustrates, “Much of the American South believed that slavery was vital to the continuation of its livelihood and lifestyle and therefore defended the institution of slavery.” But Douglass’ position differed from those who supported slavery. Douglass had escaped to the North and had seen that in the North, people could survive without slavery. All types of people worked, not just Black people. Douglass also believed that he was not so different than white people. He knew that he learned how to read and probably believed other slaves could learn how to read if they had the opportunity. (QUOTE) He gave speeches and believed that he could deliver his anti-slavery message well. He did not believe that just because someone was Black that they were not smart. He did not believe that just because people looked differently, that slavery was positive thing. Unfortunately, people that believed in slavery thought that “the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other physical differences, as well as intellectual, are brought together, the relation now existing in the slaveholding States between the two is, instead of an evil, a good - a positive good”. (“Slavery a Positive Good”) Since, Douglass had witnessed so many bad and painful parts of slavery like when he saw a slaveholder “whip a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at a time; and this, too, in the midst of her crying children, pleading for their mother’s release” (pg 7). He saw the negative of