Question

Read the excerpt from Frederick Douglass’s speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”

Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.

Which of the following best describes Douglass’s word choice in this excerpt?
pleasant
clever
casual
lighthearted

Answer 1

B. clever on edge

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

B. clever

Step-by-step explanation:

In his famous speech from 1852, later named "What to A Slave is The Fourth of July" Douglass uses this special date to express his views on the position of slaves in America at the time.

Comparing the fight of the Americans for their independance and against unjust treatment by the British to the situation of black community in the USA some seventy years later, he asks for understanding and support in the pursuit of those same values Americans fought for in the Revolution.

He also uses this argument to criticize respect of this values (freedom and rights) by white US citizens, while, at the same time restraining black people for obtaining them, using well chosen words and clever arguments to emphasize this hypocrisy.