Read the passage. excerpt from "what to the slave is the fourth of july? " by frederick douglass for the present, it is enough to affirm the equal manhood of the negro race. is it not astonishing that, while we are ploughing, planting and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges, building ships, working in metals of brass, iron, copper, silver and gold; that, while we are reading, writing and cyphering, acting as clerks, merchants and secretaries, having among us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators and teachers; that, while we are engaged in all manner of enterprises common to other men, digging gold in california, capturing the whale in the pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hill-side, living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the christian’s god, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men! refer to explorations in literature for a complete version of this speech. which statement best describes douglass's purpose in this excerpt? a. to show that slaves are capable of doing many jobs b. to establish his authority by explaining that god supports his argument c. to prove the claim that all men are created equal d. to describe the qualities that will make slaves good citizens and free men