Frederick Douglass Learns to Read Story
When Frederick was 8 years old, a family asked to borrow him from his master to take care of their son. What is the last name of this family?
Auld
What state was Frederick Douglass born in?
Maryland
What is the name of the document that free blacks carried around to prove their freedom?
Papers or Freedom Papers
What is the name given to the people that were against slavery?
Abolitionists
Which president did Frederick Douglass meet during the Civil War?
Abraham Lincoln
Someone in the Auld family was extremely nice to Frederick because they grew up in the North, where slavery was illegal. To them, "Frederick was a person, not property." Which member of the Auld family does this describe?
Mrs. Auld
Which best describes Frederick's background?
a. He was born to a free black family and captured to be a slave.
b. He was born on a plantation, meaning he was immediately a slave at birth.
c. He broke the law and was forced to become a slave.
B - He was born on a plantation, meaning he was immediately a slave at birth.
Frederick was born on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland. His mother was a slave and when Frederick was born, he became a slave, too.
The United States used to be separated into two parts - the North and the South. Which part outlawed slavery?
The North
Which best describes Frederick at meetings about abolishing slavery?
a. He would sit back and listen
b. He was an excellent speaker and moved people with his story
c. He often wanted to share his story, but was not allowed to do so
B- He was an excellent speaker and moved people with his story.
Frederick was very persuasive and a fluent speaker. He eventually became famous because of his courage to speak up against injustice during this meetings.
Did Frederick Douglass write a biography or autobiography? Explain the difference.
Frederick wrote an autobiography, which described his own life.
If he wrote a biography, he would be writing about someone else's life.
When Mr. Auld found Mrs. Auld teaching Frederick how to read, he became upset. Why was he upset?
Mr. Auld explained that "it is against the law to teach a slave to read." He stated that if a slave learns to read, "he will become unhappy with this place...he will start to want freedom."
Slaves didn't know a lot of information about themselves, and this applied to Frederick as well. Which of the following did Frederick know?
a. His birthday
b. His age
c. His mother
Frederick and his mother remained on the same plantation until Frederick was borrowed by the Auld family when he was 8. Although he and his mother remained on the same plantation for a while, they rarely saw each other because they had different chores.
Which disguise did Frederick Douglass use to escape to freedom?
Sailor
Which convention did Frederick Douglass attend with Elizabeth Cady Stanton?
Seneca Falls Convention, which discussed the rights of women.
What happened when Frederick was caught teaching other slaves how to read?
He was moved to another plantation, due to not obeying the rules.
In the weeks after Mrs. Auld was caught teaching Frederick how to read, things started to change. How did she start acting?
Mrs. Auld started to talk to him with "such coldness," meaning she was no longer the nice, nurturing woman he had met prior. She yelled at him more, sent him on lots of errands, and was not willing to teach him to read, anymore.
Slaves don't typically know when their birthday is. Which holiday did Frederick Douglass choose to celebrate his birthday on?
February 14 (Valentine's Day)
Frederick's mother used to call him her "little valentine," so it's fitting that he picked Valentine's day to celebrate his birthday.
Which state did Frederick Douglass travel to in order to achieve freedom? (Hint: think about which state our summer theme is in)
Why was it dangerous for Frederick to be outspoken (not afraid to say whatever came to mind) in meetings about abolition and suffrage?
The more he was heard and known, the greater the chance that he would be captured by his former slave owners.
Which president did Frederick work with on the subject of black suffrage (right to vote)?
Andrew Johnson
Later in the story, Frederick finds a new teacher that will help him learn to read. Who is this person, and how did Frederick find them?
While completing errands for the Auld family, Frederick finds a poor, white boy in a Baltimore alley. Frederick trades the boy a piece of bread in exchange for the boy teaching him how to read.
In which city did Frederick Douglass pass away?
Washington, D.C.
Which mode of transportation did Frederick use to get to the North?
a. Walking
b. Wagon ride
c. Train
d. Bus
C- Train
Frederick boarded a train to the North on September 3, 1838. He traveled for 24 hours before reaching New York.
When Frederick started gaining popularity, the chances of him being captured by his former slave owners was high. To make sure this didn't happen, he traveled far away from the United States. Where did he travel to?
Ireland and Britain
Over the years, several monuments and tributes have been made to Frederick Douglass. The two that were mentioned in the article are located in Washington, D.C. We also have one located in Rochester. Name ONE of the monuments.
Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, Frederick Douglass Monument
The Frederick Douglass Monument was recently vandalized in Rochester on the anniversary of Frederick's famous 4th of July speech.