NAME: ______PERIOD: ______

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Writing Assignment)

Due ______

Rubric:

______/5Reading with Annotation

______/5Rough draft work

______/5Format (Typed, font, heading, etc.)

______/5Answer

______/5Actual Evidence/Quote #1

______/5Actual Evidence/Quote #2

______/5Analysis/Explanation #1

______/5Analysis/Explanation #2

______/40

Directions:

1. Read and annotate (with margin notes) Douglass’ passage. This will be turned in.

2. Write some thoughts below to these questions:

  • How did Douglass describe slaves being treated as property in the passage?
  • How did Douglass describe the horrors of slavery in the passage?

3. ANSWER - Choose one of your responses from question 2to focus on in your essay. Write a sentence:

4. ACTUAL EVIDENCE - Cite two evidences from the passage to support your response. Write the direct quotes below:

Quote #1:

Quote #2:

5. ANALYSIS - For each quote, explain how the quote supports your answer. You should have 2 – 3 sentences per quote.

Explanation for quote #1:

Explanation for quote #2:

6. Put it all together in a typed paragraph.

  • Answer, Quote #1, Analysis for Quote #1, Quote #2, Analysis for Quote #2
  • Make sure your sentences are well written with good grammar and spelling
  • Do not use first or second person pronouns (I, me, my, you, our, we)
  • Double space the paragraph
  • Use 12 point, Times New Roman font.
  • Use the following heading:

Your Name

Mrs. Carroll

Social Studies

Due Date

  • Attach your typed paragraph to the front of these pages (reading with annotation and rough draft work).

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

The story of the life of Frederick Douglass is a good example of the fugitive slave narratives that were popular in the North before the Civil War. The account, written in 1845, details the story of Douglass’s life from early childhood until his escape from bondage in 1838. He escaped by disguising himself as a sailor and fleeing to free territory. After gaining his freedom, Douglass worked passionately for the abolition of slavery as a powerful friend of radical abolitionist John Brown. After the Civil War , he continued to work for equal rights for all citizens, including women, and was committed to removing racial barriers and prejudices of every kind. As you read the excerpt, pay attention to Douglass’s description of how slaves were valued.

In a very short time after I went to live at Baltimore, my old master’s youngest son Richard died; and in about three years and six months after his death, my old master, Captain Anthony died, leaving only his son, Andrew, and daughter, Lucretia, to share his estate….Cut off thus unexpectedly, he left no will as to the disposal of his property. It was therefore necessary to have a valuation of the property, that it might be equally divided between Mrs. Lucretia and Master Andrew. I was immediately sent for, to be valued with the other property. Here again my feelings rose up in detestation [strong hatred] of slavery. Prior to this, I had become, if not insensible [accustomed] to my lot, at least partly so. I left Baltimore with a young heart overborne with sadness, and a soul full of apprehension [anxiety]….

We were all ranked together at the valuation. Men and women, old and young, married and single, were ranked with horses, sheep, and swine. There were horses and men, cattle and women, pigs and children, all holding the same rank in the scale of being, and were all subjected to the same narrow examination. Silvery-headed age and sprightly youth, maids and matrons, had to undergo the same indelicate inspection. At this moment, I saw more clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder.

After the valuation, then came the division. I have no language to express the high excitement and deep anxiety which were felt among us poor slaves during this time. Our fate fro life was now to be decided. We had no more voice in that decision than the brutes among whom we were ranked. A single word from the white men was enough—against all our wishes, prayers, and entreaties—to sunder [separate]forever the dearest friends, dearest kindred, and strongest ties known to human beings….

I suffered more anxiety than most of my fellow slaves. I had known what it was to be kindly treated; they had known nothing of the kind. They had seen little or nothing of the world. They were in very deed men and women of sorrow, and acquainted with grief. Their back had been made familiar with the bloody lash, so that they had become callous [hardened]; mine was yet tender; for while at Baltimore I got few whippings, and few slaves could boast of a kinder master and mistress than myself; and the thought of passing out of their hands into those of Master Andrew—a man who, but a few days before, to give me a sample of his bloody disposition[personality], took my little brother by the throat, threw him on the ground, and with the heel of his boot stamped upon his head till the blood gushed from his nose and ears—was well calculated to make me anxious as to my fate. After he had committed this savage outrage [attack]upon my brother, he turned to me, and said that was the way he meant to serve me one of these days,—meaning, I suppose, when I came into his possession.

Thanks to a kind Providence [God], I fell to the portion of Mrs. Lucretia, and was sent immediately back to Baltimore, to live again in the family of Master Hugh. Their joy at my return equaled their sorrow at my departure. It was a glad day to me. I had escaped a fate worse than the lion’s jaws….