Rhetorical Analysis: The Last American Slave Ship

In his speech, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?, Frederick Douglass passionately argues that to the slave, and even to the freed African American, the Fourth of July is no more than a mockery of the grossest kind. Douglas uses many rhetorical strategies to convey his powerful emotions on the subject, and the end result is a very effectively argued point. Douglass begins by asking a series of rhetorical questions, not without the use of sarcasm. He refers to "that" Declaration of Independence, instead of "the" Declaration of Independence, to stress the separation between his people and those who are not oppressed. In the next paragraph, he continues to ask rhetorical questions. The purpose of all these questions is to give

The main point of the article, The Horrors of a Slave Ship, was to inform the public of the great deal of pain inflicted upon the victims that were attacked within the African American slave trade system. The article, The Horrors of a Slave Ship, has a main point of purpose to shed light on the truth of the

Frederick Douglass, the author of the Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass was a self-taught slave that was able to escape the brutality of slavery in the year of 1838. Frederick Douglass’s book is separated into 3 main sections, including, a beginning, middle, and end. The purpose of the narrative is to improve the audience's understanding of Douglass’s experience of being a slave, the horrible treatment slaves received, and how Douglass was able to overcome and escape slavery. All throughout the narrative, Douglass uses many rhetorical devices, including, diction, imagery, and syntax, which helps the audience understand, one of his main chapters, chapter 5. In this chapter Douglass implies that the overall purpose is to emphasize the animalistic, inhuman treatment slaves received, how Douglass felt about leaving Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, and his luck of being able to move to Mr. and Mrs. Auld's.

Being fully aware of the benefits of the slaves, the British elevated their importation and by the turn of the eighteenth century African slaves numbered in the tens of thousands in the British colonies (1). As the demands in tobacco increased, labor increased. Like the simple law of supply and demand. Ending of Royal African Company’s monopoly in 1698 encouraged more traders to enter the slave business -- thus making African slaves more accessible (4). As a result of their increased expense, their masters were stringent and determined to get as much out of them as possible thereby working them mercilessly (Faragher 2009, p. 83). Initially, the cost of slaves may have been more expensive but in the end the masters were able to keep them enslaved.

The perspectives of African slave merchants, the female slaves, and the plantation workers in the Americans which are missing in this collection might add other dimensions to our understanding of this commerce in people. Knowing the perspective of the African slave merchants who were present during the slave trade in Africa would have

Nelson Mandela said, “When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” One such man, Frederick Douglas, wrote “From What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? An Address Delivered in Rochester, New York, on 5 July 1852.” He argues that even though blacks and whites went to fight in the war to be free, that promise was not kept to the blacks. Douglass persuades a northern, white audience, to oppose slavery and favor abolition. Douglass wants to remind abolitionist and White Americans that July 4 was not a celebration for slaves and former slaves. Independence Day only made slaves remember that they were made promises for freedom that were not kept.

To really show the horrendous conditions that the slaves endured, the author includes a 1787 replication drawing of the slave ship Brooks. Built in 1781 with a lower deck intended to accommodate 294 slaves, giving each slave a space comparable to the size of a coffin. Adult males were allocated a space six feet long and fifteen inches wide and allowing even less space for adult women, boys, and girls. The height of the same area was just five feet, and did not include any toilet facilities for the slaves. In most cases, the captains would load double the number of slaves their ships were designed for leading to even worse conditions onboard with more mouths to feed but not enough provisions to compensate. Those slaves who died during the journey through the Middle Passage were simply thrown overboard, where their bodies were eaten by ravenous sharks.

Within this quotation, Douglass uses several examples of antithesis to illustrate the contrast between Mrs. Auld before she was given a slave, and after. For example, when he says, “made of all sweet accord, changed to one harsh and horrid discord;”, he emphasizes that when a person has a slave, they become more cruel and severe as a person. He also describes that his master had an “angelic face [that] gave place to that of a demon”. This antithetical example shows that owning a slave can change your morals, and if you perceived as a good person or not. He also includes this description of his new master because he is both trying to convince black and white people that slavery is harmful. In the first sentence, when Douglass includes “under

The 18th and 19th century were years full of tragedy for both the Cherokee and African Americans. All through the 19th century Native Americans were far less than respected by the United States. At this time, the United States needed to extend and develop quickly, and to accomplish this objective, the Native Americans were "pushed" westbound from their land. By 1830, slavery was mostly situated in the South. African Americans were subjugated on plantations, manors, urban communities and towns, and out in the fields. Frederick Douglass’ speech “What to a Slave is the Fourth of July?” and “Cherokee Phoenix” by Alysa Landry both use strong rhetorical appeals in their writing, which contributes to the effectiveness of their argument to demonstrate the racial reality both African Americans and Cherokee witness every day.

Indentured slave, Richard Frethorne in his letter to his parents, suggests that using rhetorical précis like pathos to makes the audience feel bad for him or sympathize with him is extremely effective. He supports his claim by first using imagery of stories to get an emotional reaction out of his parents,then explaining that people are willing to lose a limb for food, then by saying that if two strangers didn't help him he would have died, and finally telling his parents that they can help his grief and if they love him they would help. Richard Frethorne’s purpose is to persuade his parents with emotion in order to get money, freedom, or food. Richard uses his experiences and imagery to provoke an emotional response out of his parents. The first instance of this is Richard’s

In the passage “What to the Slave is the Fourth Of July” Frederick Douglass uses many rhetorical devices to convey the abolitionists the ideals of freedom and to act upon the unlawful acts of slavery. Douglass tone in this passage is forthright, he is straightforward and direct to the abolitionists. For example he takes actions granted by the abolitionist to point out the unrightful hypocrisy of the nation that is celebrating their freedom while slavery is input. Furthermore, Douglass’s diction is very powerful by the way he projects and use high level vocabulary in his speeches. He projects this type of diction as stated “Fellow citizens above your national tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions, whose chains,heavy and grievances

Unlike the slave at the time if you found yourself on a slave boat and was a captain, you would have the best and somewhat safest job on the ship. The captain is described in document B, in a collection of Voyages and Travels by Thomas Phillips. The captain must have a reasonable live sections on the ship if the boat is a “Royal African Company” (Doc. B) ship. Since that captain need to be organized and neat to map and navigate were he is going he would also need a large clean space for that as well. In this passage the captain describes himself taking care of the ship and cleaning the floors, which would have been the crew work to do. He tries to stay away from saying that his place is large, but you can infer that from the

Equiano, on a slave ship towards the West Indies, was on the verge of everlasting bondage. “In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. Many a time we were near suffocation from the want of fresh air, which was often without for whole days together.” (57) The conditions for slaves on these transport ships was horrendous, as those in charge cared little for the well being of these Africans. Equiano was unaware of what was to come, and fear lingered in his memory of this unforgiving experience. He explains the process of the transaction, “We were not many days in the merchant’s custody, before we were sold after their usual manner, which was: On a signal given (as the beat of a drum), the buyers rush at once into the yard where the slaves are confined, and make choice of that parcel they like best.” (58)

The article, The Horrors of a Slave Ship, is first person point of view account of the capturing of Olaudah Equiano. He tells the story of how he was captured from his home while his parents were away to be used as a slave. The article starts off with Olaudah and his sister being captured while their parents were away. They were taken into the woods, tied up, and forced to travel bound without food. After many days of traveling, Olaudah and his sister were separated. From that point he was passed around and finally landed in the hands of his first owner. His first owner was a smith and Olaudah worked in his shop. He was there for about a month

The Atlantic slave trade lasted from the 15th to 18th century. Between 10 and 12 million slaves were moved from Africa to South America. About 15 percent died and the ones who survived were sold as property. Only five percent of the slaves went to America (Green, 2012). The slaves were used to make sugar, tobacco and coffee (Slave Trade:, 2007). None of these things were good for us other than for desire, but nothing to sustain human life. Africans were captured by other Africans and traded for goods like metal tool and guns. Slaves were the source for private wealth and were viewed as an economic commodity. They were sold like cattle and branded on their cheeks. The slaves performed all kinds of labor from agricultural labors and house work. The slaves would work 48 hours straight at times. 23 years was the average life expectancy of slaves. The slave owners suddenly got a bright idea that if they kept their saves healthy enough, they could reproduce and in return make babies that would later be sold to become slaves. Slavery was defined as the permanent, violent, and personal domination of naturally alienation and generally dishonored persons. They were removed from their culture and dehumanized and suffered from social death. In this paper, I will discuss the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade, how it took place and how is has influenced our culture today.