Gray (1831) demonstrates how violence was an issue that faced and shaped the United States in the early republic.
Gray (1831) uses the story of Turner, a slave, to establish a comprehensive understanding of the role of violence in shaping United States history. For example, during the slavery period, slaves also engaged in violent acts as a way to compel their masters to give them freedom. They organized uprisings and groups that targeted and murdered the Whites (Gray, 1831). The Whites reacted with more violence and repression by killing even more slaves and tightening laws to ensure that slaves remain in the slavery status without any chance of freedom. The idea that Gray (1831) presents relates to the pain that slaves endured during that era until slaves reached the time when they could risk their own lives to send a message that they wanted freedom through violent ways.
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Turner’s story reflects the issue of slavery in the United States, its cruelty that led to the suffering of millions of blacks, and how it provoked a reaction and revolt as Turner’s rebellion demonstrate. The story also shows the hatred that slaves had towards slavery, which compelled them to join uprisings in an attempt to gain freedom. The issue of slavery was more significant than all people during that era including the blacks whom it affected and the rebellion by Turner, and his followers demonstrate the consequences of slavery.
Douglass (1852) speech reminded his audience that the Fourth of July was just a gross mockery to the slaves and free blacks.
In the address, Douglass (1852) demonstrates his displeasure with injustices that blacks faced even during the celebrations to commemorate the American independence. The speech shows the differences that existed between blacks and the majority whites because during that day slaves were mourning while the rest of the people were celebrating. Douglass also demonstrates his dissatisfaction with the efforts by the Northern abolitionists focused on ending slavery by criticizing them for not putting in the required effort and attention. The entire speech shows the pain that Douglass felt about the suffering that slaves were going through. Douglass also spoke about the wrongs that American had committed towards slaves and how the Wrongs had reached a point of no return. He backs his arguments with the Constitution and the Bible to emphasize those slaves had the same natural rights to freedom as any other person does. According to Douglass, slaves were people, people are entitled to liberty, and it was wrong to enslave other people.
The oration by Douglass (1852) reflects the desire for freedom that slaves had during that period. The fourth of July was a celebration day in which Americans rejoiced for the sake of liberty and freedom, yet slaves lacked freedom and liberty. While the Whites were celebrating and enjoying, slaves were mourning and suffering without any hope of being free. The holiday was thus a mockery to blacks.
The two sources, Gray (1831) and Douglass (1852) are related to each other because they discuss the issue of slavery in the early republic. They were also both written during the same era when slavery was lawful. They both demonstrate that even slaves hated slavery and revolted (Gray, 1831) or spoke harshly against it (Douglass, 1852) in an attempt to gain freedom. Both the two people in both sources talked against slavery and desired changes. They influenced the thinking about the unlawfulness of slavery among Americans.
References
Douglass, F. (1852). Oration Delivered in Corinthian Hall, Rochester . Lee, Mann & Company.
Gray, T. R. (1831). The Confessions of Nat Turner . Baltimore.
