Assignment 4.3 Frederick Douglass
A lot of slaves worked very hard to learn to read, write, and do math. This was illegal in most states, but some learned anyway. In Maryland, it was not illegal for slaves to learn to read and write, but whites were discouraged from teaching them. Sometimes slaves learned from each other or from free blacks. Sometimes, white people taught them.
Free blacks opened schools for children and adults. In Baltimore, a man named William Watkins ran one well known school. A lot of the black churches operated day schools. Because Sunday was the only day that most people did not have to work, the churches also offered Sabbath schools where both adults and children could learn to read, write, and do math on Sunday afternoons. Free blacks and also some slaves attended these schools.
Frederick Douglass was a famous abolitionist and was born a slave in Maryland. He believed that the ability to read and write was the first step towards freedom. He once wrote: "Education means emancipation; it means light and liberty". Douglas learned to read while he was a slave in Baltimore. At fist his mistress taught him, but then her husband forbade these lessons. Then he learned from friends on the street. As an adult, Frederick Douglas published a famous anti-slavery newspaper called the North Star.
Frederick Douglass has written a biography called "Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass" dating back from 1845. You are going to read the first six chapters of his biography (pages 1 -31). You can but you don't have to read the preface. Your teacher will provide you with a few discussion points for each chapter in class. The book is to be found below.
Free blacks opened schools for children and adults. In Baltimore, a man named William Watkins ran one well known school. A lot of the black churches operated day schools. Because Sunday was the only day that most people did not have to work, the churches also offered Sabbath schools where both adults and children could learn to read, write, and do math on Sunday afternoons. Free blacks and also some slaves attended these schools.
Frederick Douglass was a famous abolitionist and was born a slave in Maryland. He believed that the ability to read and write was the first step towards freedom. He once wrote: "Education means emancipation; it means light and liberty". Douglas learned to read while he was a slave in Baltimore. At fist his mistress taught him, but then her husband forbade these lessons. Then he learned from friends on the street. As an adult, Frederick Douglas published a famous anti-slavery newspaper called the North Star.
Frederick Douglass has written a biography called "Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass" dating back from 1845. You are going to read the first six chapters of his biography (pages 1 -31). You can but you don't have to read the preface. Your teacher will provide you with a few discussion points for each chapter in class. The book is to be found below.