FREDERICK DOUGLASS STUDY GUIDE,
CHAPTERS 6-11 EXAM WITH Q&A
Does Douglass indulge occasionally in making a pun? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes, he
says he "began to want to live upon free land as well as with Freeland"
Does Douglass make another allusion in Chapter 10? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes, he
refers to Shakespeare's Hamlet to explain why slaves are reluctant to escape
How has Douglass learned the value of aggressive behavior? - CORRECT ANSWER
By resisting Covey, who backs down, Douglass realizes he has power, and then lets it
be known that anyone who wants to whip him is going to have to kill him first
How do the men know that their plot to escape has been betrayed? - CORRECT
ANSWER Though Douglass never tells us who or why, he and Sandy can just feel that
they have been betrayed by someone
How do we know that Douglass knows how the betrayer was? - CORRECT ANSWER
He writes, "We found the evidence against us to be the testimony of one person; our
master would not tell who it was; but we came to a unanimous decision among
ourselves as to who their informant was"
Why does Captain Auld send Douglass back to Baltimore? - CORRECT ANSWER Auld
fears the community will kill Douglass because of its great prejudice toward any slaves
who try to escape
Why are there no arrests made when Douglass is assaulted by four white workmen at
the shipyard? - CORRECT ANSWER White witnesses will not testify, and the testimony
of black witnesses is unacceptable in a court of law
Is there an example of sarcasm used in Chapter 10 by Douglass? - CORRECT
ANSWER Yes, he refers to the "Christian city of Baltimore," but accuses the citizens to
be guilty of un-Christian acts
What kind of freedom does Douglass have over his own employment after learning to
calk ships? - CORRECT ANSWER He can find his own employment, make his own
contracts, and collect his own wages--earning as much as nine dollars per week--but
must give all the money to his master
Why does Douglass decide not to tell us the details of his escape? - CORRECT
ANSWER He doesn't want to cause problems for the people who were willing to help
him, and he doesn't want to reveal details that might help white slaveholders learn how
to foil such attempts at escape
, What issue does Douglass have with the Underground Railroad? - CORRECT
ANSWER Though he is glad they help some slaves escape, he worries that this method
is too public, and does nothing toward enlightening the slave
Does Douglass believe that people should be responsible for their own happiness? -
CORRECT ANSWER Douglass plans to make money so he can eventually escape, so
it would seem that he wants to take responsibility for his own future
Why does the privilege of hiring his own time help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER
Because he agrees to pay Master Hugh three dollars each week, Douglass can choose
employment that allows him to keep any extra money he can make
Why does Douglass believe that more slaves don't try to escape? - CORRECT
ANSWER They find it difficult to leave their friends and loved ones behind
Why does Douglass adopt the motto "Trust no man!" during his escape for freedom? -
CORRECT ANSWER He can trust no one, white or black, with the knowledge that he is
an escaped slave
How does Mr. David Ruggles help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER He takes
Douglass to his boarding house and helps him get to New Bedford where he can find
work as a calker
How does the Rev. J.W.C. Pennington help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER He
performs the marriage ceremony between Douglass and Anna
How does Mr. Nathan Johnson help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER An abolitionist,
he helps Douglass and his wife by offering them hospitality in New Bedford and by
paying their debt to the stagecoach line--he also helps him select the name of
"Douglass"
Why is Douglass surprised at the appearance of New Bedford? - CORRECT ANSWER
He is surprised that the North prospers without slaves, thinking that anyone who does
not have slaves is poor
What surprises Douglass about the other free blacks he meets in New Bedford? -
CORRECT ANSWER They live in finer houses and have more comforts than the
slaveholders of the South
How does the anti-slavery convention in Nantucket change Douglass? - CORRECT
ANSWER For the first time, he speaks out publicly against slavery, with the
encouragement of Mr. William C. Coffin
CHAPTERS 6-11 EXAM WITH Q&A
Does Douglass indulge occasionally in making a pun? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes, he
says he "began to want to live upon free land as well as with Freeland"
Does Douglass make another allusion in Chapter 10? - CORRECT ANSWER Yes, he
refers to Shakespeare's Hamlet to explain why slaves are reluctant to escape
How has Douglass learned the value of aggressive behavior? - CORRECT ANSWER
By resisting Covey, who backs down, Douglass realizes he has power, and then lets it
be known that anyone who wants to whip him is going to have to kill him first
How do the men know that their plot to escape has been betrayed? - CORRECT
ANSWER Though Douglass never tells us who or why, he and Sandy can just feel that
they have been betrayed by someone
How do we know that Douglass knows how the betrayer was? - CORRECT ANSWER
He writes, "We found the evidence against us to be the testimony of one person; our
master would not tell who it was; but we came to a unanimous decision among
ourselves as to who their informant was"
Why does Captain Auld send Douglass back to Baltimore? - CORRECT ANSWER Auld
fears the community will kill Douglass because of its great prejudice toward any slaves
who try to escape
Why are there no arrests made when Douglass is assaulted by four white workmen at
the shipyard? - CORRECT ANSWER White witnesses will not testify, and the testimony
of black witnesses is unacceptable in a court of law
Is there an example of sarcasm used in Chapter 10 by Douglass? - CORRECT
ANSWER Yes, he refers to the "Christian city of Baltimore," but accuses the citizens to
be guilty of un-Christian acts
What kind of freedom does Douglass have over his own employment after learning to
calk ships? - CORRECT ANSWER He can find his own employment, make his own
contracts, and collect his own wages--earning as much as nine dollars per week--but
must give all the money to his master
Why does Douglass decide not to tell us the details of his escape? - CORRECT
ANSWER He doesn't want to cause problems for the people who were willing to help
him, and he doesn't want to reveal details that might help white slaveholders learn how
to foil such attempts at escape
, What issue does Douglass have with the Underground Railroad? - CORRECT
ANSWER Though he is glad they help some slaves escape, he worries that this method
is too public, and does nothing toward enlightening the slave
Does Douglass believe that people should be responsible for their own happiness? -
CORRECT ANSWER Douglass plans to make money so he can eventually escape, so
it would seem that he wants to take responsibility for his own future
Why does the privilege of hiring his own time help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER
Because he agrees to pay Master Hugh three dollars each week, Douglass can choose
employment that allows him to keep any extra money he can make
Why does Douglass believe that more slaves don't try to escape? - CORRECT
ANSWER They find it difficult to leave their friends and loved ones behind
Why does Douglass adopt the motto "Trust no man!" during his escape for freedom? -
CORRECT ANSWER He can trust no one, white or black, with the knowledge that he is
an escaped slave
How does Mr. David Ruggles help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER He takes
Douglass to his boarding house and helps him get to New Bedford where he can find
work as a calker
How does the Rev. J.W.C. Pennington help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER He
performs the marriage ceremony between Douglass and Anna
How does Mr. Nathan Johnson help Douglass? - CORRECT ANSWER An abolitionist,
he helps Douglass and his wife by offering them hospitality in New Bedford and by
paying their debt to the stagecoach line--he also helps him select the name of
"Douglass"
Why is Douglass surprised at the appearance of New Bedford? - CORRECT ANSWER
He is surprised that the North prospers without slaves, thinking that anyone who does
not have slaves is poor
What surprises Douglass about the other free blacks he meets in New Bedford? -
CORRECT ANSWER They live in finer houses and have more comforts than the
slaveholders of the South
How does the anti-slavery convention in Nantucket change Douglass? - CORRECT
ANSWER For the first time, he speaks out publicly against slavery, with the
encouragement of Mr. William C. Coffin
