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On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, abolitionist Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” His speech challenged some of America’s most sacred principles and exposed what he saw as the hypocrisy in America’s founding documents. Listen to hear a historian analyze this momentous speech and the powerful way Douglass used rhetoric as a weapon in the war against slavery in America.
Story Length: 6:33
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07/03/2020
https://app.listenwise.com/students/lessons/843-frederick-douglass-on-independence-day
How did Douglass start his speech, and why might he have done so?
When and why did Douglass use pronouns like “you” and “your” in his speech?
How did Douglass explain his belief that America’s founding principles were hypocritical?
According to the historian, how might Douglass view the world today?