The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Students will read excerpts from Frederick Douglass’s groundbreaking autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, which provides vivid first-hand accounts of the lives of slaves and the cruel actions of slave owners. Students will demonstrate their understanding of Douglass’s narrative and the institution of slavery by writing and presenting an antislavery speech or editorialbased upon the excerpt they read.

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Essential Questions: 
What can we learn about slavery from the writing of Frederick Douglass? In what ways does his use of language paint a realistic portrait of slavery?
According to Douglass, what were some common misconceptions about enslaved peopleand their situation?
According to Douglass, what were some of the effects of slavery upon the enslaved? Upon the slaveholder?
What behaviors and actions did slaveholders use totry tojustify their choices and how does Douglass effectively point out their hypocrisy?