Question

Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this speech.

Which statement most accurately describes Frederick Douglass's viewpoint in “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” about America’s behavior as compared to other countries of the world?

He thinks people are better off living in America than any other country in the world.

He believes America should take lessons from other countries about how to treat its people.

He believes people who are not happy living in America should live in other countries.

He thinks America is the most hypocritical and barbaric country in the world due to slavery.

Answer 1

Answer: He thinks America is the most hypocritical and barbaric country in the world due to slavery.

In "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" Douglass argues that the United States is the most hypocritical and barbaric country in the world because of how it maintains and protects slavery. Douglass believes that it is barbaric how the United States claims to defend freedom, justice and equality, and yet keeps a whole class of people enslaved. He states that this is the reason why slaves cannot possibly celebrate the Fourth of July. The rights that they are meant to be celebrating are not actually granted to them.