FD 1
How does the anti-slavery convention in Nantucket change Douglass?
For the first time, he speaks out publicly against slavery, with the encouragement of Mr. William C. Coffin.
Why does Douglass adopt the motto "Trust no man!" during his escape for freedom?
He can trust no one, white or black, with the knowledge that he is an escaped slave.
Why does Captain Auld send Douglass back to Baltimore?
Auld fears the community will kill Douglass because of its great prejudice toward any slaves who try to escape.
How do we know that Douglass knows how the betrayer was?
He writes, "We found the evidence against us to be the testimony of one person; our master would not tell who it was; but we came to a unanimous decision among ourselves as to who their informant was."
What tells us in Chapter 10 that Douglass has a strong sense of racial pride?
He runs a school on the Sabbath for other slaves to teach them how to read and write.
What surprises Douglass about the other free blacks he meets in New Bedford?
They live in finer houses and have more comforts than the slaveholders of the South.
Why does Douglass believe that more slaves don't try to escape?
They find it difficult to leave their friends and loved ones behind.
Is there an example of sarcasm used in Chapter 10 by Douglass?
Yes, he refers to the "Christian city of Baltimore," but accuses the citizens to be guilty of un-Christian acts.
How do the men know that their plot to escape has been betrayed?
Though Douglass never tells us who or why, he and Sandy can just feel that they have been betrayed by someone.
Why does Douglass think religious slaveholders are the worst?
He believes that slaveholders in the South use religion as a means to justify the barbaric treatment of slaves.
Why is Douglass surprised at the appearance of New Bedford?
He is surprised that the North prospers without slaves, thinking that anyone who does not have slaves is poor.
Why does the privilege of hiring his own time help Douglass?
Because he agrees to pay Master Hugh three dollars each week, Douglass can choose employment that allows him to keep any extra money he can make.
Why are there no arrests made when Douglass is assaulted by four white workmen at the shipyard?
White witnesses will not testify, and the testimony of black witnesses is unacceptable in a court of law.
How has Douglass learned the value of aggressive behavior?
By resisting Covey, who backs down, Douglass realizes he has power, and then lets it be known that anyone who wants to whip him is going to have to kill him first.
Who is Sandy Jenkins?
An older slave with a free wife, Sandy convinces Douglass that he will avoid any kind of beating by white folk if he keeps a specific kind of root on the right side of his body.
How does Mr. Nathan Johnson help Douglass?
An abolitionist, he helps Douglass and his wife by offering them hospitality in New Bedford and by paying their debt to the stagecoach line--he also helps him select the name of "Douglass."
Does Douglass believe that people should be responsible for their own happiness?
Douglass plans to make money so he can eventually escape, so it would seem that he wants to take responsibility for his own future.
Why does Douglass decide not to tell us the details of his escape?
He doesn't want to cause problems for the people who were willing to help him, and he doesn't want to reveal details that might help white slaveholders learn how to foil such attempts at escape.
Does Douglass make another allusion in Chapter 10?
Yes, he refers to Shakespeare's Hamlet to explain why slaves are reluctant to escape.
How do the Irishmen he meets in Chapter 7 try to help Douglass with his escape?
The Irishmen suggest that Douglass try to escape to the North.
How does Mr. David Ruggles help Douglass?
He takes Douglass to his boarding house and helps him get to New Bedford where he can find work as a calker.
What issue does Douglass have with the Underground Railroad?
Though he is glad they help some slaves escape, he worries that this method is too public, and does nothing toward enlightening the slave.
What kind of freedom does Douglass have over his own employment after learning to calk ships?
He can find his own employment, make his own contracts, and collect his own wages--earning as much as nine dollars per week--but must give all the money to his master.
Does Douglass indulge occasionally in making a pun?
Yes, he says he "began to want to live upon free land as well as with Freeland."
Why do the masters want their slaves to drink whiskey over the holidays?
The masters think a slave who chooses to work during his time off doesn't deserve the time off, and a slave who doesn't work to save enough throughout the year to buy whiskey for the holidays is considered lazy.