Decide if each statement represents the view of Frederick Douglass in “The Constitution of the United States: Is It Pro-Slavery or Anti-Slavery?” or the view of Garrisonians, such as William Lloyd Garrison.

Frederick Douglass William Lloyd Garrison
“The language ‘We the People’ includes all people.”
“The Constitution was poisoned by slavery.”
“The Constitution can be used to protect all people.”
“The word ‘slave’ is not mentioned in the Constitution for a reason.”
“We should not remain in a union with slaveholders.”
“We have a responsibility to enslaved people in the United States even if we are not slaveholders.”

1 answer

Here’s how each statement aligns with the views of Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison:

  1. “The language ‘We the People’ includes all people.”

    • Frederick Douglass: Douglass argued that the Constitution could be interpreted as inclusive of all people, including African Americans.
  2. “The Constitution was poisoned by slavery.”

    • William Lloyd Garrison: Garrison believed that the Constitution was fundamentally compromised by its allowance of slavery and viewed it as a pro-slavery document.
  3. “The Constitution can be used to protect all people.”

    • Frederick Douglass: Douglass maintained that the Constitution, when interpreted correctly, could serve as a tool for advocating freedom and rights for all individuals, including African Americans.
  4. “The word ‘slave’ is not mentioned in the Constitution for a reason.”

    • William Lloyd Garrison: Garrison argued that the omission of the word "slave" was a deliberate attempt to obscure the reality of slavery and downplay its moral implications.
  5. “We should not remain in a union with slaveholders.”

    • William Lloyd Garrison: Garrison advocated for the immediate dissolution of the union with slaveholding states, seeing it as morally unacceptable to remain tied to slaveholders.
  6. “We have a responsibility to enslaved people in the United States even if we are not slaveholders.”

    • Frederick Douglass: Douglass believed in the moral responsibility of all individuals to advocate for the rights and freedom of enslaved people, regardless of personal status.

In summary:

  • Douglass: 1, 3, 6
  • Garrison: 2, 4, 5