Final answer:
Frederick Douglass wrote “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” to critique the contradiction between America's liberty ideals and the practice of slavery, as well as to criticize the irony of celebrating independence while enslaving others.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purposes for Frederick Douglass writing “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” include A, to emphasize that the continued existence of slavery contradicts principles expressed in the Constitution, and B, to highlight the irony of recognizing the Fourth of July as a celebration of equality. Given the historical context of slavery during the time Douglass was writing, these purposes were significant in challenging the nation's conscience and urging a reflection on the glaring contradictions between the country's founding ideals and the reality of racial slavery.
During the time of Douglass, slavery was not yet abolished, influencing his decisions on the content of the narrative to address the hypocrisy of a nation celebrating freedom while enslaving a population. By exposing the contradiction between the patriotic rhetoric and the brutal reality of slavery, Douglass aimed to prompt moral and social change. The appendix of Douglass's work further strengthens his arguments using rhetorical devices and targeting audiences who might be sympathetic to the abolitionist cause or persuadable to it.