Read the following pro- and anti-slavery documents
Pro-Slavery George Fitzhugh Advocates Slavery Disease and Peculiarities of the Negro Race James Henry Hammond Advocates Slavery Abolitionists David Walker’s Appeal Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July’?” The American Anti-Slavery Society: Declaration of Sentiments
Focus Questions Consider these questions as you read through the above sources
1. How do these authors justify slavery?
2. According to these authors, what place do slaves have in society?
3. What derisive stereotypes of African Americans are found in these proslavery documents?
Abolitionist authors
1. Why do they believe slavery needs to be abolished?
2. What specific criticisms do they have about American society?
3. How do these authors view African Americans? How do the authors view African Americans place in society?
