Narrative On The Life Of Fredrick Douglass – Flashcards
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Why is Frederick not sure when he was born?
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slaves did not have a record of birth and they were not allowed to ask questions
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Wjat os Frederick's last name at birth?
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Bailey
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Why would slaveholders want to keep a slave ignorant of such a simple things as the date of his birth?
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inquiries from slaves were deemed improper and impertinent and evidence of a restless spirit
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Who was Frederick's mother and father?
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Mother was a slave named Harriet Baliely. Father was believed to be a white man and his first master "Captain Anthony"
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Why does Frederick make the point that a slaveholder who has fathered a child is likely to be tougher on that child?
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His wife would be mad for treating them better than his kids and he doesn't want to look weak.
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Why does Frederick only rarely see his mother?
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She was sent to a different plantation right before Frederick was about 12 months.
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Is Frederick's relationship with his mother typical of other slave children?
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Mothers would get sent to a different plantation after the baby was a couple of months. The babies would be watched over by an elderly woman slave who couldn't work. Although his mother was sent to a plantation 12 miles away and would walk every evening and see him. She was always gone before he woke. She died when he was about 7 years old. Never really knew her.
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What is the role of the overseer on the plantation?
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To watch over slaves and make them work.
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What is the relationship of the slaveholder to the overseer to the slave on the plantation?
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slaveholder owned the slaves, overseer ran the plantation and was in charge of slaves and reported to the slaveholder, the slaves worked the plantation
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What do we learn about Plummer, the overseer?
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miserable drunk, cruel, savage monster that beats slaves badly
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Who is Frederick's first master?
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Captain Anthony
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Why does Frederick tell the story of Lloyd's Ned and his Aunt Hester?
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his aunt was a slave of Coloniel Lloyd who he desired and forbid to see Ned(another slave). She had gone to visit him and upon return Lloyd tied her and beat her bloody. Frederick was hiding in the closet and witnessed it. It changed his view of the world.
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Quotes Chp 1.- "By far the larger part of the slaves know as little or their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters to keep their slaves thus ignorant"
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hear Frederick is stating that slaves did not have a record of birth and knowing age was considered a privledge that slaves did not derserve. Masters wanted to keep them ignorant.
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Quotes Chp. 1 - "He was a cruel man, hardened by a long life of slaveholding"
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This is talking about Mr. Plummer the overseer. He was cruel and savage and showed no feelings or remorse for the slaves. This is an important point that Frederick will continue to make throughout the narrative.
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Quotes Chp 1 - "It was blood-stained gate, the entrance to hell of slavery, through which I was about to pass"
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Frederick says this after telling the story of witnessing his Aunt Hester be beat. It was at that moment his view of the world changed and he realized the hard times ahead for him.
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Who were the family members of Frederick's master, colonel Edward Lloyd? Beleive this should be Captain Anthony not Edward Lloyd. Check with teacher
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Lucretia Auld (daughter) married to Thomas Auld, Andrew Lloyd, and Richard Lloyd.
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What is relationship of colonel Lloyd to Frederick's Master?
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Frederick's master Captain Anthony was Colonel Lloyd's clerk and superintendent.
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Was there a pecking order among the slaves?
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200-300 slaves on a farm and all would hold different jobs.
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Why is it difficult to find copies of slave songs?
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most were never written down.
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Why was Severe an appropriate name for the overseer?
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He was cruel, strict, and SEVERE to slaves.
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Why does Frederick suggest that slaves sing out of sorrow rather than out of joy?
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They didn't have anything to sing happily about.
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Quotes Chp. 2 - "the same traits of character might be seen in Colonel Lloyd's slaves, as are seen in the slaves of the political parties"
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This is talking about the slaves who were given the errands ( "Few privileges were esteemed higher, by the slaves of the out-farms, than that of being selected to do errands at the Great House Farm.) and those selected were considered the smartest and most trustworthy.
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Quotes Chp 2. - "Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alkie uncommon to me while in the jaws fo slavery"
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Here he is talking about slaves singing because they were unhappy and he would not know happiness while enslaved.
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How did Colonel Lloyd keep the slave boys from taking his fruit?
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He put tar on the fence. Even if you got tar on you clothing accidentally you still got beat, so eventually they became scared of the fence.
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Why was it particularly difficult to be the slaves in charge of Colonel Lloyd's Horses?
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Whatever you did was wrong and you'd still get beat.
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What is ironic about Colonel Lloyd's treatment of his horses compared to the treatment of his slaves?
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He treated slaves like animals and the horse's highly as person should be treated.
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What happened to the slave who told Colonel Lloyd the truth about his master?
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The slave did not realize he was talking the his own master who was Colonel Lloyd. About 2-3 weeks after telling Colonel Lloyd how bad he was treated he was handcuffed and sent to Georgia traders who were known to be much more cruel to the slaves.
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QUOTES Chp 3 - Slave maxim: "A still tongue makes a wise head." .
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It means that it is best to suppress the truth rather than face the consequences of speaking the truth
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Why is Mr. Austin Gore a "first-rate overseer"? What is the irony of this description of him? What is ironic about his name?
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he got the job done but was cruel and horrible to the slaves
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What reason does Mr. Gore give for killing Demby, the slave?
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He was insubordinate and they were scared he'd influence other slaves to stick up for themselves.
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What other examples does Frederick give on his statement "that killing a slave, or any colored person...is not treated as a crime, either by the courts or the community"?
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Thomas shot a slave cause he stepped over the line for food, Mr. Thomas Lanman killed 2 slaves (one with a hatchet), also Mr. Giles Hick mangled a 15-16 yr. old girl
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QUOTES Chp 4. Maxim laid down by slaveholders: "It is better that a dozen slaves suffer under the lash, than that the overseer should be convicted, in the presence of the slaves, of having been at fault."
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it means better to beat the slaves for speaking up so the others don't think they can do it
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Quotes Chp. 4 - To be accused was to be convicted, and to be convicted was to be punished."
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It means that if the overseer or slaveowner was not happy with a slave they would be punished even if no fault of their own.
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Quotes Chp. 4 - ."He dealt sparingly with his words, and bountifully with his whip, never using the former where the latter would answer as well."
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It means the overseers offered not reason for beating the slaves with the whip. They just beat them at will.
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Chp 5 - What was life like for Frederick on the plantation?
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He didn't have to work becuase he was to young so it was good for a slave.
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Why was Frederick so happy to be leaving the plantation?
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He got to bathe.
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Why did he want to go to Baltimore?
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He got a pair of trousers.
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What relationship did his new master have to his old master?
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he was Caption Anthony's son in law's brother
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Why did Frederick, who was seven or eight, not know the month or year of his sailing?
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He had no knowledge of the days of the week or the months of the year
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What were Frederick's initial impressions of his new mistress, Mrs. Sophia Auld?
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She was kind, allowed to answer her, and to look her in the eyes.
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QUOTES Quotes Chp 5 - "I may be deemed superstitious, and even egotistical, in regarding this event as a special interposition of divine Providence in my favor." .
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Means he felt lucky to be where he was
