Fourth U.S. president and founder James Madison called America’s engagement in the African slave trade the nation’s “original sin.”

Question

The horrors of chattel slavery would bring down a wrath of biblical proportions, prophesied another founder, Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Like Madison, this third U.S. president was a slaveholder.

Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

Why does the author most likely arrange the sentences in this way?

(1 point)
Responses

to show that early U.S. presidents acknowledged the evils of slavery even while participating in the system
to show that early U.S. presidents acknowledged the evils of slavery even while participating in the system

to illustrate how much damage slavery did to the early United States and its people
to illustrate how much damage slavery did to the early United States and its people

to emphasize how truly horrible slavery and the African slave trade were
to emphasize how truly horrible slavery and the African slave trade were

to focus on the fact that some of the founding fathers were slaveholders themselves
to focus on the fact that some of the founding fathers were slaveholders themselves
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Answer 1

The author most likely arranges the sentences in this way to show that early U.S. presidents acknowledged the evils of slavery even while participating in the system. This arrangement highlights the contradiction between their understanding of slavery as a moral wrong and their personal involvement in the institution.