The self-written account of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave, is a powerful book in many ways. Douglass invites you to vicariously witness the monstrous atrocities he experienced during the antebellum period; a time when these atrocities were not only encouraged, but greatly appreciated. Throughout his narrative, Douglass expresses his exponentially growing anger and courage. When the reader arrives at the Appendix, it quickly becomes all the more obvious that the vice of slavery that most bothers him is the curtain of pseudo-Christianity that surrounds it. Why did Douglass, against the advice of his publisher, decide to include this radical piece? Douglass was adamant about including The Appendix so that he could display the ignorance beneath the veil of American Christianity and the level of power that came from adhering to its beliefs. American Christianity in Douglass's day was completely different from what we think of as Christianity today. During the antebellum period in America, the country's thoughts were changing dramatically. Escape from religious persecution was a key element in many minds when choosing to come to America and thus it became a melting pot of multiple thoughts and ideals. European Protestant, Roman Catholic, and African American religions were forced to mix, and the unique qualities of each were particularly useful in establishing personal validity (Fox 201, 202). After the American Revolution, most Republicans argued that churches “brandished superstitious dogmas and mysteries that kept people ignorant of the rational capacities of their own minds” (Fox 159). On the other hand, "some Republicans like ...... middle of paper ...... nastiness about their situation." “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! » (Douglas 77). Douglass's words are addressed to the master, the mistress, the auctioneer, the slave preacher, the government: the hypocrite, but especially to his handcuffed brothers and sisters. Works Cited Douglass, Frederick. Account of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave, written by himself. Ed. Andrews, William L. and McFeely, William S. New York: Norton and Company, 1997. Print. Douglass, Frederick. “American Slavery.” Finsbury Chapel, Moorfields, England. May 22, 1846. Report of a public meeting. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/sas/infomark.do. Speech.Fox, Richard Wightman. Jesus in America A story. New York: HarperCollins, 2004. Print. Moynahan, Brian. Faith A History of Christianity. New York: Doubleday, 2002. Print.