Read the excerpt from Frederick Douglass's July 4, 1852, speech on the hypocrisy of American slavery. Douglass was an abolitionist and a formerly enslaved person.

Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future.

How do the words hideous, revolting, and false most affect the tone and meaning of this passage?

They suggest the speaker's belief that the future holds hope.

They present a tone of solidarity with America's actions.

They show the speaker's disgust over slavery.

They show the speaker's admiration for America.

Question

English

Carlos Dunn

22 February, 20:39

Read the excerpt from Frederick Douglass's July 4, 1852, speech on the hypocrisy of American slavery. Douglass was an abolitionist and a formerly enslaved person.

Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future.

How do the words hideous, revolting, and false most affect the tone and meaning of this passage?

They suggest the speaker's belief that the future holds hope.

They present a tone of solidarity with America's actions.

They show the speaker's disgust over slavery.

They show the speaker's admiration for America.

+4

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Galloway · Answer 1

They show the speakers disgust over slavery.

All the other answers assume the speaker is happy and in a good place. He obviously was not.

Avery Daugherty · Answer 2

The correct answer is the following: option C. The words hideous, revolting, and false most affect the tone and meaning of this passage, so that they show the speaker's disgust over slavery.

Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator and writer, who used to be an enslaved person. On July 4th, 1852 he gave a speech at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. During the speech, Douglass referred to the injustice and cruelty to which former slaves were subjected to. With the use of words such as hideous, revolting and false, the reformer described his disgust over slavery.