Which line from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” supports Douglass’s claim that the Fourth of July is not a cause worthy of celebration by all?

Question

Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men, too great enough to give frame to a great age.
Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful.
Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them.
But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light?

Answer 1

The line that supports Douglass’s claim that the Fourth of July is not a cause worthy of celebration for all is:

"Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them."

This line highlights the contrast between the celebration of independence by some and the continued suffering of enslaved individuals, emphasizing that the joy of the Fourth of July is not universally experienced and suggesting that it is a painful reminder of the ongoing oppression faced by millions.

Answer 2

Which line from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” supports Douglass’s claim that the Fourth of July is not a cause worthy of celebration by all?
Fellow Citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men, too great enough to give frame to a great age.
Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions! Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful.
Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them.
But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light?

Answer 3

The line that best supports Douglass’s claim that the Fourth of July is not a cause worthy of celebration by all is:

"Fellow-citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them."

This line contrasts the joy of celebration with the suffering of the enslaved, illustrating that for many, the Fourth of July represents not freedom, but ongoing oppression.

Answer 4

How does the speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” relate to life in the United States during Douglass’s time?
It celebrates a time-honored tradition.
It describes the daily life of many people in the United States.
It addresses the need for equality for all people.
It explains the forces behind the cause of the Civil War.

Answer 5

The speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" primarily addresses the need for equality for all people. In this powerful oration, Frederick Douglass critiques the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom and independence while millions of people, specifically enslaved individuals, continued to suffer under the institution of slavery. Douglass emphasizes the stark contrast between the joyous celebration of the Fourth of July by white Americans and the ongoing oppression faced by African Americans, calling for a recognition of their humanity and rights. This emphasis on the need for equality is central to understanding the social and political climate in the United States during Douglass’s time.

Answer 6

Read the excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”

Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a question for Republicans? Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to be understood?

What do the rhetorical questions in the excerpt suggest?
Douglass does not want to discuss slavery further.
Slavery is a highly divisive and complicated issue.
Douglass is uncertain about slavery’s wrongfulness.
The wrongfulness of slavery should be obvious.

Answer 7

The rhetorical questions in the excerpt suggest that the wrongfulness of slavery should be obvious. Douglass is expressing frustration that the morality of slavery is even being questioned and implies that it should be a clear and straightforward issue. By questioning whether the wrongfulness of slavery should require further argumentation or debate, he highlights the absurdity of the situation and emphasizes the moral certainty of his position against slavery.

Answer 8

Which excerpt is a counterclaim in "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
What is this but the acknowledgment that the slave is a moral, intellectual, and responsible being? The manhood of the slave is conceded.
There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment.
It is admitted in the fact that Southern statute books are covered with enactments forbidding, under severe fines and penalties, the teaching of the slave to read or to write.
What, then, remains to be argued? Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken?

Answer 9

The excerpt that serves as a counterclaim in "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" is:

"What, then, remains to be argued? Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken?"

In this statement, Douglass anticipates and addresses potential arguments that may defend or justify slavery. He effectively challenges any notion that slavery has a divine or moral foundation, suggesting that the arguments for its legitimacy are weak or unfounded. This positions his own argument against slavery more strongly by confronting counterclaims directly.