1. Frederick Douglass Essential Question
How do I discuss the lives of historical figures who expanded people’s rights and freedoms in a democracy?
Unit Launch

2. Who Was Frederick Douglass?
Born a slave in 1818 in Tuckahoe, Maryland.
Sent to Baltimore, Maryland to be a house slave.
His slave name was Frederick Bailey.

3. Location Frederick lived in the Southeast region of the United States.
He was born and grew up in the state of Maryland.

4. Impact of Location
The Southeast region of the United States allowed slavery, and millions of African Americans were forced to work for no pay.

5. Social Barrier Lack of Education
It was against the law to teach a slave to read.
It was feared slaves would want their freedom if they became educated.
Frederick wanted to learn to read.

6. Overcoming Lack of Education
Frederick learned to read in secret.
His master’s wife taught him to read, but then the master stopped the lessons.
He started giving the poor white neighborhood boys pieces of bread to teach him what they learned in school.
He used chalk on brick walls and wooden fences to practice his writing.
When Frederick’s master was away from home, he read the school books of his the master’s son.
When his master found out he was learning, he beat him.
Frederick knew he must keep learning.

7. Social Barrier - Slavery
Brain Pop - Slavery
WORD
rights freedoms that are protected by a country’s laws
Frederick was a slave.
Most enslaved people lived in bad housing, and had very simple food to eat.
They had no rights.
Slave owners could treat them in any way for any reason.
Frederick believed all enslaved people wanted liberty.
TO KNOW
WORD
liberty freedom from control by another
TO KNOW

8. Overcoming Slavery At age 21, Frederick escaped from slavery.
Frederick dressed up as a sailor, and got aboard a train heading north.
African American passengers needed to carry papers that proved they were free.
He borrowed papers from a free African American sailor.
Frederick was worried because he did not look like the man.
The conductor only glanced at his papers.
He made it to New York, which was a free state!

9. Adapted to Environment
United Streaming Abolition Movement
After Frederick escaped to New York, he changed his name to Frederick Douglass.
He spoke about his experiences as a slave at meetings.
He attended the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.
The society asked him to travel and lecture about slavery.
He would ask audiences to support the Anti-Slavery movement by becoming an abolitionist.
WORD
abolitionist a person who wants to end slavery
TO KNOW

10. Adapted to Environment
In 1845 Frederick wrote his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
The book became so well known that he was in danger of being caught by a slave catcher.
He traveled to Great Britain where
slavery was illegal.
His British friends raised money
to buy Frederick’s freedom from
his master.
He earned his freedom on
December 5, 1846, after paying
$711.66!

11. Movements Born in Tuckahoe, Maryland
As a boy he was sent to Baltimore, Maryland, to be a house slave.
Took a train to New York to escape slavery.
Married Anna Murray and moved to Massachusetts.
Moved to Great Britain to escape
slave catchers.
After buying his freedom he moved
Rochester, New York.

12. Movements Continued Maryland to New York New York to Massachusetts
Atlantic Ocean
Maryland to New York
New York to Massachusetts
Massachusetts to Great Britain
Great Britain to New York

13. discrimination unfair treatment to an individual who is different
His Work Continues
In 1845 Frederick and Martin Delany published a newspaper called the North Star.
This paper encouraged blacks to feel good about themselves, fight discrimination, and become hardworking members of society.
WORD
discrimination unfair treatment to an individual who is different
TO KNOW

14. His Work Continues
In the 1860s, President Abraham Lincoln asked Frederick Douglass to recruit black slaves for the Union army in the Civil War.
Frederick suggested he free slaves who fought in the war.
In 1863, Lincoln issued
the Emancipation
Proclamation and freed
the slaves!
Lincoln and Douglass
remained friends.

15. Brain Pop - Underground Railroad
His Work Continues
Brain Pop - Underground Railroad
Douglass was part of the Underground Railroad.
People such as Douglass were conductors on the railroad.

16. His Work Continues Frederick fought for black voting rights.
In 1870, the 15th Amendment was ratified, which gave American men of any color the right to vote!
He supported
the right of women to
vote at a time when
many people did not
think it was a good
idea.
One of his friends was
Susan B. Anthony.

17. Freedom of Conscience and Expression
Other resources:
Character Traits
Liberty
To value liberty means to want freedom from the control of others.
Douglass worked for his own freedom and for freedom of all African Americans
Activist
Wanted Justice= is fair treatment.
Frederick Douglass spoke out against laws that took away rights from African Americans and women.
Freedom of Conscience and Expression
Freedom of Conscience and Expression means that people have the right to think and say what they believe.
He spent most of his life speaking and writing about the evils of slavery.