Modern historians can learn significantly from the "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," particularly about the systemic dehumanization of Africans during slavery in the United States. Douglass’s firsthand account provides insights into the brutal realities of enslavement, including the psychological and physical abuses suffered by enslaved individuals, the conditions under which they lived and worked, and the strategies they employed to resist and assert their humanity.
While the narrative does touch on broader themes related to abolition and social justice, it is primarily focused on Douglass's experiences and observations, which vividly illustrate the harsh realities of life as an enslaved person and serve as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppression. Therefore, the most relevant answer in this context would be:
how plantation owners managed their estates and social lives.
While Douglass's narrative focuses more on the impact of slavery on the individuals within that system, understanding the practices of plantation owners is also significant; however, the emphasis of Douglass's experience is primarily on the lived experiences of enslaved individuals.