Frederick Douglass Speech Analysis

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Frederick Douglass was an African American who escaped from slavery in 1838. After buying his own freedom in 1847, Douglass created The North Star, an abolitionist newspaper, and also wrote an autobiography. Douglass became a well respected author, and in 1852 was asked to give a speech in Rochester New York. In his speech the The Meaning of July Fourth to the Negro, which was delivered in Rochester New York on July 5, 1852. Douglass spoke of the nation 's problems with hypocrisy, and mistreatment of African Americans. Celebrating freedom and equality, yet there were millions of slaves who were being kept within America 's borders. Douglass’ audience was for the abolitionist who came to hear his speech, but his words influenced all. Douglass used ethos, pathos and logos to get his point across. His purpose of his speech was to rally up the abolitionist, and show other American people how wrong and hypocritical they’re being. The audience of Frederick Douglass’ Fourth of July speech was intended for those who are uninformed of slavery. His speech was in Rochester New York, where many people may not know about the injustice slaves experience. He uses examples that show some may not Douglass used descriptive and powerful words when describing the harsh life of slavery. Phrases such as “Am I wrong to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty, End without wages, to keep him ignorant of their relations to their fellow-men, to beat them with sticks, to Flay the flesh with the last, to load their lives with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to send you their families, to knock out their teeth, to bring their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters?” Here Douglass used repetition of gruesome and powerful actions taken. This makes people disgusted and upset about slavery, and this was what he was trying to

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