Order ID:89JHGSJE83839 | Style:APA/MLA/Harvard/Chicago | Pages:5-10 |
Instructions:
This writing assignment will provide you with insight into the nature of slavery in the United States. Please respond to the following questions with well-developed and insightful responses based on Frederick Douglass’ autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (1845). His harrowing autobiography is a priceless primary account of the aspects, mechanisms, and evils of American slavery as seen through the eyes of a man who lived through it and managed to escape. Don’t just repeat or regurgitate Douglass’s words when answering these questions; instead, use and express your own.
Five-point questions can be answered in one to two paragraphs, while ten-point questions can be answered in three to four paragraphs.
1. Describe why Douglass is unaware of his true age. What does Douglass know about his father and describe the kind of relationship Douglass had with his mother Harriet when describing the ways slaves understood or “related” to their biological parents? (five points)
2. During his Aunt Hester’s whipping, Douglass witnesses the first of many slave evils. Describe the types of offenses or perceived offenses that a slave can commit that would warrant brutal punishment or whippings, according to Douglass. (five points)
3. Give an overview of the types of clothing, food, and living quarters that slaves are typically provided. (five points)
4. How does Douglass explain the slave songs’ hidden meaning? How does he reconcile what whites believe the songs’ purpose is and what the songs actually mean? Why does Douglass experience “indescribable sadness” when he recalls the slave songs? (five points)
5. Douglass gives a sobering account of slavery’s inhumane and oppressive nature. In other words, Douglass clearly demonstrates the master’s complete and absolute power over his slave. What examples from Douglass’ story do you think he uses to illustrate this power dynamic? [Note: the master and the overseer are not the same person, but you may describe the overseer’s actions in this answer.] a total of ten points
I. CHAPTER
In Talbot County, Maryland, I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough and about twelve miles from
Easton. I’ve never seen an authentic record that contains my age, so I’m not sure how old I am. By far
the majority of slaves have as little knowledge of their ages as horses do, and it is the wish of most masters that I am aware of to keep their slaves in this state of ignorance. I don’t recall ever meeting a
slave who knew his date of birth. Planting, harvesting, cherry-picking, spring-picking, and fall-picking are
the only times they get close to it. Even as a child, a lack of information about myself was a source of dissatisfaction for me. The white children were able to estimate their ages. I couldn’t see why I should
be denied the same opportunity. I wasn’t allowed to ask my master any questions about it. All such
inquiries on the part of a slave were deemed improper and impertinent, as well as evidence of a restless
spirit, according to him. I’m currently between the ages of twenty-seven and twenty-eight, according to
the best estimate I can make. I came to this conclusion after hearing my master say it sometime around
the year 1835, when I was about seventeen years old. Harriet Bailey was the name of my mother. She
was the daughter of Isaac and Betsey Bailey, who were both dark-skinned. My mother’s skin tone was darker than my grandmother’s and grandfather’s. My father was a non-Hispanic white man. He was
acknowledged as such by everyone I’d ever heard speak of my ancestors. My master was also said to be
my father, but I have no way of knowing if this is true because the means of knowing were taken away
from me. My mother and I were separated when I was a baby, before I even knew who she was. In the
part of Maryland where I fled, it is common practice to separate children from their mothers at a young age. Before the child reaches the twelfth month, the mother is frequently taken from it and hired out on
a farm some distance away, leaving the child in the care of an elderly woman who is too old to work in
the fields. I’m not sure why this separation is occurring, unless it’s to stifle the child’s natural affection
for its mother and blunt and destroy the mother’s natural affection for the child. This is the unavoidable
outcome. I never saw my mother, as I knew her, more than four or five times in my life, and each of
these encounters was brief and took place at night. Mr. Stewart, who lived about twelve miles from my
house, hired her. She made her trips to see me late at night, walking the entire distance on foot after finishing her day’s work. She was a field hand, and unless a slave has special permission from his or her
master to the contrary, a whipping is the penalty for not being in the field at sunrisea permission that
they rarely get, and one that gives him the proud name of being a kind master. I don’t recall ever seeing
my mother in broad daylight. In the middle of the night, she was with me. She’d lie down with me and
lull me to sleep, but she’d be gone before I awoke. Between us, there was very little communication.
Death came quickly, and with it, the little we had while she was alive, as well as her hardships and
suffering. She died on one of my master’s farms near Lee’s Mill when I was about seven years old. I was not permitted to accompany her during her illness, death, or burial. She was gone before I even knew
what had happened. I never got to enjoy her soothing presence, her tender and watchful care to any
significant degree, so I reacted to the news of her death with the same emotions I would have felt if a
stranger died. She had been abruptly called away, and she had left me with no idea who my father was.
Slaveholders have ordained, and by law established, that the children of slave women shall in all cases
follow the condition of their mothers; and this is done too obviously to administer to their own lusts;
and, true or false, it is of little consequence to my purpose while the fact remains, in all its glaring
odiousness, that slaveholders have ordained, and by law established, that the children of slave women
shall in all cases follow the condition of their mothers; and this is done too obviously I’m aware of such cases, and it’s worth noting that such slaves invariably face greater difficulties and have more to contend
with than others. They are, first and foremost, a constant source of offense to their mistress. She is
always looking for something to criticize about them; they rarely do anything to please her; she is never
happier than when she sees them whipped, especially when she suspects her husband of showing his
mulatto children favors that he withholds from his black slaves. Out of deference to his white wife’s
feelings, the master is frequently compelled to sell this class of his slaves; and, as cruel as the deed may
appear to any one, it is frequently the dictate of humanity for a man to sell his own children to human
flesh-mongers; for, unless he does so, he must not only whip them himself, but must also stand by and
watch one white son tie up his brot. Every year, a large number of people in this class are added to the
slave population. Undoubtedly as a result of his knowledge of this fact, one of the South’s great
statesmen predicted the abolition of slavery due to natural laws of population. Whether or not this
prophecy is fulfilled, it is clear that a very different-looking class of people is springing up in the south,
and are now held in slavery, than those who were originally brought to this country from Africa; and if
their growth does nothing else, it will weaken the argument that God cursed Ham, and thus American
slavery is right. If only the lineal descendants of Ham are to be scripturally enslaved, slavery in the south
will inevitably become unscriptural; for thousands are born each year who, like myself, owe their
existence to white fathers, and those fathers are frequently their own masters. I’ve had two masters in
my life. Anthony was the name of my first master. I’m not sure what his first name was. He was known
as Captain Anthony, a title he presumably earned by sailing a vessel on the Chesapeake Bay. He was not
regarded as a wealthy slave owner. He had a couple of farms and about thirty slaves. An overseer was in
charge of his farms and slaves. Plummer was the name of the supervisor. Mr. Plummer was a savage
monster, a miserable drunkard, and a profane swearer. He was always armed with a heavy cudgel and a cowskin. I’ve seen him slash and cut the women’s heads so horribly that even master was enraged by his
cruelty and threatened to whip him if he didn’t behave. Master, on the other hand, was not a humane
slave owner. To have any effect on him, an overseer had to act with extraordinary brutality. He was a
cruel man who had been a slave for most of his life. He seemed to take great pleasure in whipping a
slave at times. I’ve been awoken many times in the early hours of the morning by the heartbreaking shrieks of an aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist and whip on her naked back until she was
completely covered in blood. No words, tears, or prayers from his gruesome victim seemed to sway his
iron heart away from its bloody mission. He whipped harder the louder she screamed, and where the
blood flowed fastest, he whipped hardest.
RUBRIC |
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Excellent Quality 95-100%
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Introduction
45-41 points The background and significance of the problem and a clear statement of the research purpose is provided. The search history is mentioned. |
Literature Support 91-84 points The background and significance of the problem and a clear statement of the research purpose is provided. The search history is mentioned. |
Methodology 58-53 points Content is well-organized with headings for each slide and bulleted lists to group related material as needed. Use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance readability and presentation content is excellent. Length requirements of 10 slides/pages or less is met. |
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Average Score 50-85% |
40-38 points More depth/detail for the background and significance is needed, or the research detail is not clear. No search history information is provided. |
83-76 points Review of relevant theoretical literature is evident, but there is little integration of studies into concepts related to problem. Review is partially focused and organized. Supporting and opposing research are included. Summary of information presented is included. Conclusion may not contain a biblical integration. |
52-49 points Content is somewhat organized, but no structure is apparent. The use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. is occasionally detracting to the presentation content. Length requirements may not be met. |
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Poor Quality 0-45% |
37-1 points The background and/or significance are missing. No search history information is provided. |
75-1 points Review of relevant theoretical literature is evident, but there is no integration of studies into concepts related to problem. Review is partially focused and organized. Supporting and opposing research are not included in the summary of information presented. Conclusion does not contain a biblical integration. |
48-1 points There is no clear or logical organizational structure. No logical sequence is apparent. The use of font, color, graphics, effects etc. is often detracting to the presentation content. Length requirements may not be met |
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Paper on the Origins of American Slavery |
Paper on the Origins of American Slavery