Name: ______________________________ A

Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave- Test (30 point test)
I. Multiple Choice
Directions: Write the correct letter to the question on the line. (1 point each).
_____ 1. Why does Douglass have no knowledge of his birth date?
A. A fire destroyed the records
B. His mother died when he was young
C. Slave owners keep their slaves ignorant of their birth dates
D. He left his personal records behind when he escaped

_____ 2. What do Colonel Lloyd’s slaves call the plantation on which Fredrick Douglass grows up?
A. Wye Town
B. Great House Farm
C. New Design
D. Talbot

_____ 3. What is Douglass’s main point about Gore shooting Demby?

A. Gore acts irrationally
B. Gore is overly cruel
C. Gore thinks Demby is trying to escape
D. Whites are not punished for killing blacks

_____ 4. Which of the following is NOT a reason Douglass is happy about the prospect of moving to
Baltimore?
A. His cousin has described Baltimore as beautiful
B. The Auld’s are described as a kind couple
C. He has no attachments at home
D. He is given a pair of trousers for the move

_____ 5. What is the reason for Sophia Auld’s transformation?

A. She becomes lazy when Douglass is around to do her work for her
B. She listens to her husband and becomes cruel with the irresponsible power of owning
another person
C. She begins drinking
D. She senses that Douglass is becoming smarter than her son, Thomas

_____ 6. Why is Douglass grateful that Hugh Auld orders Douglass’s reading lessons stopped?
A. Douglass does not like his reading lessons
B. Auld unknowingly gives Douglass the key to escape slavery
C. Auld betrays his fear that Douglass might escape
D. Douglass already knows how to read
_____ 7. Which of the following is not one of Douglass’s sources on learning how to read and write?
A. Neighborhood boys
B. Thomas Auld’s copybook
C. Webster’s Spelling Book
D. Two Irish dockworkers

_____ 8. Why do the slaves call Mr. Covey “the snake”?

A. Because he is evil
B. Because he surprises them by sneaking through the tall grass
C. Because he is thin
D. Because his whip resembles a snake

_____ 9. What was the turning point in Fredrick Douglass’ “career as a slave?”
Quote: This “rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my
own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with a
determination to be free. The gratification afforded by the triumph was a full compensation for
whatever else might follow, even death itself.”
A. When Fredrick Douglass learned how to read and write
B. When Fredrick Douglass battled with Mr. Convey and won the fight
C. When Fredrick Douglass went to live with Sophia and Hugh Auld in Baltimore
D. When he was put in prison for trying to run away

_____ 10. What does Fredrick Douglas do for his fellow slaves while working at William Freeland’s
plantation?
A. He opens a Sabbath school and teaches slaves how to read and write
B. He teaches them how to sing
C. He influences all the slaves join him on his quest for freedom
D. He steals food for them

_____ 11. Why was Fredrick Douglas imprisoned?

A. He refused to do his work
B. He killed his master
C. He killed another slave
D. He was on planning on running away with some of his fellow slaves

_____ 12. When Fredrick Douglas was 20 years old, how did he gain his freedom?
A. His owner died
B. The laws changed
C. He bought his freedom
D. He escaped
_____ 13. What state did Fredrick Douglas escape to?
A. Canada
B. New York
C. Maryland
D. Massachusetts
 II. Matching
Directions: Match the description to the correct person by writing the letter on the line.
_____ 1. Sophia Auld A. Refused to let significant other teach
Fredrick Douglass how to read (when he
was younger) because this person wanted
whites to maintain power over blacks by
depriving them of receiving education

_____ 2. Mr. Edward Covey B. Taught Fredrick Douglass his

ABC’s when he was younger

_____ 3. Captain Aaron Anthony C. Fredrick Douglass’ grandmother who

raised him on Captain Anthony’s land
after FD’s mother was taken away

____ 4. Hugh Auld D. Fredrick Douglass’ mother

_____ 5. Betsy Baily E. Was the first person Fredrick Douglass

turned to after he escaped; married
Fredrick and his wife

_____ 6. Harriet Baily F. One of the most evil, yet consistent

overseers Fredrick Douglass had. This
person shot Demby because if he had
allowed Demby to get away with his
“unmanageable” behavior, then other
slaves would follow in his footsteps, and
eventually it would lead to the
enslavement of whites.
_____ 7. Mr. Austin Gore G. Known as the “slave breaker”
_____ 8. Anna Murray H. Fredrick Douglass’ wife
_____ 9. Mr. David Ruggles I. First master and possible father of
Fredrick Douglass

III. Short Answer

Directions: Correctly and fully answer the questions either in full sentences or bullet points.
1. What were slaves supposed to do when asked whether or not their slave master treats them well?
(1 point)

2. What 2 things did Fredrick Douglass want to learn before he would run away? (2 points)
 3. List 2 ways Fredrick Douglass tricked the white neighborhood boys into teaching him how to
read? (2 points)

4. Why did Fredrick Douglass not trust white men, even when they told him he should run away? (1
point)

5. What was the turning point in Fredrick Douglass’ career as a slave?

Quote: This “rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my
own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with a
determination to be free. The gratification afforded by the triumph was a full compensation for
whatever else might follow, even death itself.” What incident is FD referring to? Describe what
happened (2 points).

6. Why did the slaveholders give the slaves off for Christmas through New Years? (1 point)

*EXTRA CREDIT*
How many times did Fredrick change his last name? List IN ORDER what they were (4 points).