Douglass response

Douglass spends most of this excerpt convincing his audience that slavery is wrong and should be abolished. He is arguing that slaves should have the same rights as any other citizens, especially freedom. While most Americans were celebrating their independence, Douglass fought for the point that slaves, his own people, had nothing to celebrate. While most of his arguments seem like common knowledge, he is trying to make the public realize that if these truths are absolute, then slavery should be abolished without question.

What to the slave is the fourth of July?

I think that Douglass spends so much time talking about these points because, the situation is full of irony. We as a country do spend so much time celebrating our freedom and liberty, when in reality it wasn't until some what recently if you think about it that everyone did have the pleasure of enjoying their freedoms. There was so much time when so many people were denied the rights that we take for granted today. Douglass is trying to show that in many ways it's so ironic that we celebrate our freedoms with so much enthusiasm because people were denied freedoms for so long. We forget sometimes everything that people have gone through in order to enjoy freedom, Douglass speech is a reality check, and a reminder of things our country has gone through.

Douglass

I think Dogulass spends all that time talking about slavery what not because no one else is. Everyone feels the same way about those issues its just no one has the courage to say whats on their mind and try to do something about it. I think by him talking about it in front of people on the Fourth of July it will help people be more aware of the issue. I also think it helps he gave the speech on that day than any other day because the day is about independence and freedom, yet everyone isn't free, and everyone doesn't have their independence. The speech hits closer to home because everyone is rejoicing and celebrating while he points out that some people can't rejoice about anything because they are viewed as property and not free people.

What to the slave is the fourth of July?

I think Douglass spends time talking about the points that don't need to be argued because everyone knows the points but they are looked over by many. The slaves did not feel free and did not have the freedom as everyone else. They were pushed around by everyone. Douglass is talking about the points because even though everyone is supposed to be treated as equals the slaves were not. The fourth of July to them is just reminding them of how they used to be treated.

What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?

In the oration by Fredrick Douglass, he spends considerable time telling his audience what points do not need to be argued: that a slave is human, that man is entitled to liberty, and so on. I believe that Douglass spends so much time talking about them, because he feels it is something that everyone should agree on. These points should be common sense to the audience.
Douglass does not want to argue about something that should be known by everyone already. He does not see the point in it. When these points come up he says that they are already conceded in the Declaration of Independence. The United Stats has already declared that slavery was wrong, so therefore, the argument has already won. So he does not see why he needs to argue something that has already won, unless someone were to challenge the idea of one of these points.
To Douglass the fourth of July is a mockery to him, and to those like him. As Americans celebrate the fourth of July, to him, it is a reminder of how he and those like him use to live. He believes that America is false, it always has been, and it always will be. So he feels like it is inhuman for Americans to celebrate on this day.

--Brittany

Jeremiah Knox: "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"

I think that Douglas spends so much time telling his audience what points don't need to be argued because he feels that these points, which Douglas argues that these points should be known by all, are not actually viewed by all. I think that he spends so much time on these points because he is trying to point out that these liberties are not viewed with respect by all. This speech takes place during the international slave trade in the United States. During this time, many people did not appeal to the idea of slaves being equal to themselves, especially people in the south. Douglas is emphasizing the point that at this juncture in time, the slaves were not treated as men and the irony and hypocrisy of the phrase in the Declaration of Independence, "All men are created equal."