Frederick Douglas Argumentative Essay

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During 1800s America, equal rights were just beginning to start occurring in conversations. One of the biggest supporters for equal rights was Frederick Douglas. Frederick Douglas was an African American male who was born a slave, educated himself, and then was one of the most influential abolitionists and spokesperson for women’s rights. While more famous for being an abolitionist, Douglas’ work in terms should not be over looked. By using ideas and concepts that he had found effective in the abolition movement, he was able to be equally effective when defending the rights of women. The points he uses are very similar to the ones he makes for African American rights, while also being slightly modified to appeal to the group. Douglas had…show more content…
In the case of women, they are not slaves, he is not fighting for their freedom, but more for their equality. In order to adjust his argument, he makes a strong point about how women should represent themselves. He proclaims to the crowd, “She is her own best representative. We can neither speak for her, nor vote for her, nor act for her, nor be responsible for her”. This statement introduces a new point that Douglas created for women. Since women are free, they are by law their own person, not someone else’s like slaves were, and it is only just that a free person represents themselves, because no one know their opinions better. Another new point he brings up is that women do not need men’s help, he says” There was a time when, perhaps, we men could help a little. It was when this woman suffrage cause was in its cradle, when it was not big enough to go alone, when it had to be taken in the arms of its mother from Seneca Falls, N.Y., to Rochester, N.Y., for baptism. I then went along with it and offered my services to help it, for then it needed help; but now it can afford to dispense with me and all of my sex”. This demonstrates the difference in the women’s right movement, they are capable to do it on their own, while slaves need significantly more outside

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