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WorksheetsFrederick Douglass, ch. 1-6
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 12mins
Ch. 1 - Why would Frederick Douglass begin his life story by admitting what he doesn't know?
To show how the enslaved were purposefully kept ignorant by their enslavers
To be more relatable to his readers, many of whom were ignorant themselves
To later surprise his readers by demonstrating his supreme intelligence
To encourage his readers to be sympathetic and forgiving of any mistakes he may make
Ch. 1 - What is known about Douglass's family? Check all that apply.
His mother, Hattie Bailey, was an enslaved woman.
His father is unkown, but rumored to be a white man.
He is separated from his mother soon after being born.
His mother worked for Mr. Lloyd's daughter.
Ch. 1 - What is the argument concerning Noah's curse to Ham to which Douglass refers? Check all that apply.
Biblical allusion
Ham sees his father's nakedness and tells his brothers; he is then cursed to serve his brothers.
Religious justification for slavery
Douglass refutes this argument by pointing out that he, and others, have white fathers.
Ch. 2 - How did the Lloyd plantation operate? Check all that apply.
Hundreds of slaves worked raising and harvesting crops.
A few slaves worked on ships that took products to Baltimore.
While the Lloyds enjoyed wealth and leisure, the enslaved were poorly, fed, ill-clothed, and brutalized.
Lloyd appointed the best men from those he enslaved in order to work as overseers.
Ch. 2 - Describe the role and character of an overseer. Check all that apply.
Overseers are the antagonists of this narrative.
Usually, they are cruel, profane, and unjust.
They enforce the slave system by commanding labor and preventing rebellion.
They ensure the productivity and the safety of the enslaved.
Ch. 2 - What is the author's tone as he describes these conditions?
simple and direct
grandiose and detailed
nostalgic and sympathetic
flippant and uncaring
Ch. 2 - Why does Douglass compare a slave running errands at the Great House Farm to a representative in Congress?
This is a sarcastic analogy that mocks the American ideals of democracy, personal freedom, and responsibility.
Douglass believes that slaves running errands are genuinely comparable to representatives in Congress, highlighting the efficiency and order within the institution of slavery.
The analogy suggests that slaves, like representatives in Congress, have a significant role in shaping policies and making decisions for the benefit of their community.
Douglass uses the comparison to emphasize the equality and fairness present in both the lives of slaves running errands and representatives in Congress, showcasing a positive aspect of the American democratic system.
Ch. 2 - What impression do we have of the slaves' songs?
Singing was an emotional expression of hope and sorrow that went beyond words, demonstrating that those enslaved were not ignorant of their oppression.
The songs were merely a form of mindless entertainment, providing a distraction for the slaves from the harsh realities of their lives.
The songs were a demonstration of the slaves' contentment with their conditions, suggesting a lack of awareness regarding the severity of their oppression.
The songs were a coded language used by the slaves to communicate secret messages and plans, allowing Douglass and his family to escape.
Ch. 3 - What is the significance of the garden?
The garden symbolizes the biblical temptation of Adam and Eve in Eden and being cast out into sin; however, the inference is that the hungry slaves are innocent while the enslavers are the sinners.
The garden represents a place of solace and joy for the slaves, highlighting the positive aspects of their lives on the plantation.
The garden symbolizes the prosperity and wealth of the enslavers, showcasing their benevolence and generosity toward the enslaved individuals.
The garden is a metaphor for the slaves' lack of ambition and desire for a better life, suggesting that they are content with their current circumstances.
Ch. 3 - What was Douglass's opinion of Colonel Lloyd? Check all that apply.
He is described as conspicuously wealthy, scheming, capricious, and unjust.
He prizes his horses above a thousand enslaved humans.
He is admired for his generosity and fairness, noting that he treated both his horses and enslaved individuals with equal care and respect.
Douglass has a neutral opinion of Colonel Lloyd, viewing him as a practical and shrewd businessman who maintained a balanced and just approach to managing his estate.
Ch. 3 - The chapter concludes with the assertion that those enslaved don't tell the truth about their condition. How had Douglass supported that conclusion?
He gives specific examples of deprivation, cruelty, and retaliation for speaking up.
He concludes that the enslaved individuals are not truthful about their condition because he believes they are content with their circumstances and do not desire freedom.
According to Douglass, the enslaved individuals are not honest about their condition because they fear punishment from their benevolent masters, who treat them with kindness and compassion.
Douglass asserts that the enslaved individuals do not tell the truth about their condition because they are involved in a secret plan to overthrow their masters and gain control of the plantation.
Ch. 3 - Why does Douglass state this conclusion explicitly?
He is directly challenging U.S. laws and enslavers' claims that those enslaved are incompetent, dependent, and better off in captivity.
He expresses this conclusion to highlight the positive aspects of plantation life, arguing that enslaved individuals enjoy a sense of security and belonging.
He explicitly challenges U.S. laws and enslavers' claims because he believes that the enslaved individuals are truly incompetent and incapable of managing their own lives, necessitating their dependence on their masters.
He explicitly states this conclusion because he wants to emphasize the harmony and camaraderie among the enslaved individuals, challenging the perception of conflict and suffering.
Ch. 4 - Mr. Austin Gore is described as having the character traits to be a first-rate overseer. What are these traits? Choose all that apply.
proud, ambitious, and cruel
tricky, merciless, and remorseless
arrogant, mean, but fair
sensible, protective, and kind
Ch. 4 - What is Mr. Gore's defense of his actions?
It was to serve as an example to other enslaved people, to maintain control of the plantation.
This particular enslaved man was attempting to lead a rebellion against his enslavers.
It was in self-defense, as the enslaved man posed an immediate threat to Mr. Gore's life.
Mr. Gore asserted that the enslaved man was a threat to the economic prosperity of the plantation, and eliminating him was essential for financial stability.
Ch. 4 - Why isn't Gore punished?
I. Gore voices enslavers' fears of rebellion and retaliation, so the white community is on his side.
II. Black people, especially those enslaved, have no legal recourse to injustice.
III. Gore was merely following the orders of the plantation owner.
IV. Gore maintains order through violence, so the justice system turns a blind eye to his actions.
I, II, & IV
III & IV
II, III, & IV
I, II, III, & IV
Ch. 4 - Douglass cites other examples of murder. What effect does this have on the white community?
While some think these deeds are shocking and wrong, community silence suppresses legal action.
This empowers the white community to act out in more and more violent ways against not just people of color but all people.
The white community is unfazed by these acts of violence.
While most of the community cheered the murders, the few who saw it as wrong boldly demanded that the murderers be imprisoned, resulting in justice being served.
Ch. 5 - How does Douglass contrast his childhood on Colonel Lloyd's plantation with his arrival in Baltimore?
Douglass uses understatement to describe the chores, cold, and hunger of his plantation life. The stories of Baltimore and his first meeting with Sophia Auld made him hopeful.
Douglass downplayed the positive aspects of his life on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, emphasizing the harsh conditions to garner sympathy, and he depicted Baltimore as a place of constant struggle and disappointment.
Douglass used hyperbole to magnify the difficulties of his childhood on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, creating a stark contrast with a falsely idealized version of his time in Baltimore, making it seem like a utopian escape.
Douglass romanticized his experiences on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, depicting it as a carefree and idyllic childhood, in contrast to the challenges he faced in Baltimore.
Ch. 5 - How does Douglass react to this turning point in his life?
Douglass views it as remarkable luck, a sign of God's favor (divine Providence), and the result of his own determination to be free.
Douglass attributes the turning point to the benevolence of his enslavers, believing that they graciously granted him freedom out of pity.
Douglass sees the turning point as a random stroke of good fortune, devoid of any connection to divine intervention, luck, or his own efforts.
Douglass believes that his newfound freedom is solely due to the interference of sympathetic northerners who happened to be in the right place at the right time, rather than a result of divine Providence or personal determination.
Ch. 6 - How does Douglass's observations of slavery in the city challenge 19th-century views of domesticity and feminine delicacy?
While women were expected to be modest, pious, and agreeable, white women were shown to be just as cruel and violent as the men.
Douglass's observations suggest that women in the city were entirely passive and submissive, conforming perfectly to the 19th-century ideals of domesticity and feminine delicacy.
Douglass's account implies that the city women were not actively involved in slaveholding, and the cruelty he witnessed was solely perpetrated by the men, reinforcing traditional gender roles.
Douglass's observations indicate that the city women, far from being involved in cruelty, actively worked to improve the conditions of enslaved individuals, challenging the notion of their complicity in the system.
Ch. 6 - Explain the transformation of Sophia Auld.
Sophia Auld went from being an industrious worker, and a kind mother and teacher to being indoctrinated by her husband in the rationale of slavery.
Sophia Auld transformed due to her natural inclination towards cruelty, evolving from a strict disciplinarian into a merciless overseer of the enslaved.
Sophia Auld experienced a radical change influenced by the abolitionist movement, turning from a supporter of slavery into an advocate for the rights of the enslaved.
Sophia Auld changed her attitude due to personal financial struggles, becoming more strict and demanding as a means of asserting control and maintaining order on the plantation.
