Read the excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick
Douglass.
How does the excerpt best support Douglass's purpose to
inform the reader about slavery?
In a very short time after I went to live at Baltimore, my old
master's youngest son, Richard, died; and in about three
years and six months after his death, my old master,
Captain Anthony, died, leaving only his son Andrew and
daughter Lucretia to share his estate. He died while on a visit
to see his daughter at Hillsborough. Cut off thus
unexpectedly, he left no will as to the disposal of his property.
It was therefore necessary to have a valuation of the
property, that it might be equally divided between Mrs.
Lucretia and Master Andrew. I was immediately sent for, to
be valued with the other property. Here again my feelings
rose up in detestation of slavery. I had now a new conception
of my degraded condition.
It compares and contrasts Mrs. Lucretia and Master
Andrew as slaveholders.
It contains a graphic description of the abuses that
enslaved persons endured.
It contains a persuasive argument that all human beings
are equal.
It shows how enslaved persons do not have control over
their fate because they are considered property.
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