www.yahyasoliman.

com
NAME: ______________________________________

Finding Text Evidence

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was born into slavery in Maryland.
As an adult, he escaped into freedom. He became a writer, orator and
advocate for the abolition of slavery. In 1845, 16 years before the start
of the Civil War, Douglass published his autobiography, Narrative of
the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. In this passage
from Chapter VIII, Douglass is a 10 year old slave.

In a very short time after I went to live at Baltimore, my old master’s youngest son
Richard died; and in about three years and six months after his death, my old master,
Captain Anthony, died, leaving only his son, Andrew, and daughter, Lucretia, to share his
estate. He died while on a visit to see his daughter at Hillsborough. Cut off thus unexpect-
edly, he left no will as to the disposal of his property. It was therefore necessary to have
a valuation of the property, that it might be equally divided between Mrs. Lucretia and
Master Andrew. I was immediately sent for, to be valued with the other property. Here
again my feelings rose up in detestation of slavery. I had now a new conception of my
degraded condition. Prior to this, I had become, if not insensible to my lot, at least partly
so. I left Baltimore with a young heart overborne with sadness, and a soul full of apprehen-
sion. I took passage with Captain Rowe, in the schooner Wild Cat, and, after a sail of about
twenty-four hours, I found myself near the place of my birth. I had now been absent from
it almost, if not quite, five years. I, however, remembered the place very well. I was only
about five years old when I left it, to go and live with my old master on Colonel Lloyd’s
plantation; so that I was now between ten and eleven years old.
We were all ranked together at the valuation. Men and women, old and young, married
and single, were ranked with horses, sheep, and swine. There were horses and men, cattle
and women, pigs and children, all holding the same rank in the scale of being, and were all
subjected to the same narrow examination. Silvery-headed age and sprightly youth, maids
and matrons, had to undergo the same indelicate inspection. At this moment, I saw more
clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder.

Text Evidence
In the passage, Douglass explains that slavery was humiliating. Cite an example from the text
that most clearly supports this idea.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Find one additional text example that also supports the idea that slavery was humiliating.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2012 K12reader.com. All Rights Reserved. Free for educational use at home or in classrooms. www.k12reader.com

www.gonitro.com
 www.yahyasoliman.com
NAME: ______________________________________

Finding Text Evidence

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was born into slavery in Maryland.
As an adult, he escaped into freedom. He became a writer, orator and
advocate for the abolition of slavery. In 1845, 16 years before the start
of the Civil War, Douglass published his autobiography, Narrative of
the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. In this passage
from Chapter VIII, Douglass is a 10 year old slave.

In a very short time after I went to live at Baltimore, my old master’s youngest son
Richard died; and in about three years and six months after his death, my old master,
Captain Anthony, died, leaving only his son, Andrew, and daughter, Lucretia, to share his
estate. He died while on a visit to see his daughter at Hillsborough. Cut off thus unexpect-
edly, he left no will as to the disposal of his property. It was therefore necessary to have
a valuation of the property, that it might be equally divided between Mrs. Lucretia and
Master Andrew. I was immediately sent for, to be valued with the other property. Here
again my feelings rose up in detestation of slavery. I had now a new conception of my
degraded condition. Prior to this, I had become, if not insensible to my lot, at least partly
so. I left Baltimore with a young heart overborne with sadness, and a soul full of apprehen-
sion. I took passage with Captain Rowe, in the schooner Wild Cat, and, after a sail of about
twenty-four hours, I found myself near the place of my birth. I had now been absent from
it almost, if not quite, five years. I, however, remembered the place very well. I was only
about five years old when I left it, to go and live with my old master on Colonel Lloyd’s
plantation; so that I was now between ten and eleven years old.
We were all ranked together at the valuation. Men and women, old and young, married
and single, were ranked with horses, sheep, and swine. There were horses and men, cattle
and women, pigs and children, all holding the same rank in the scale of being, and were all
subjected to the same narrow examination. Silvery-headed age and sprightly youth, maids
and matrons, had to undergo the same indelicate inspection. At this moment, I saw more
clearly than ever the brutalizing effects of slavery upon both slave and slaveholder.

Text Evidence
In the passage, Douglass explains that slavery was humiliating. Cite an example from the text
that most clearly supports this idea.
Actual correct answers will vary. Example of correct answers:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
“Men and women, old and young, married and single, were ranked with
__________________________________________________________________________________________
horses, sheep, and swine.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Find one additional text example that also supports the idea that slavery was humiliating.
“Silvery-headed age and sprightly youth, maids and matrons, had to
___________________________________________________________________________________________
undergo the same indelicate inspection.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2012 K12reader.com. All Rights Reserved. Free for educational use at home or in classrooms. www.k12reader.com

www.gonitro.com