Question

What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? What is the purpose of this rhetorical question as it used by Douglass?

Answer 1

A it is designed to introduce an idea

Answer 2

Answer: A. It is designed to introduce an idea.

This question is a rhetorical one, because Douglass does not intend to get an answer from the audience. Instead, the question is designed to serve as a way to introduce an idea. Douglass hopes that by asking this question, people will be inclined to think about it and consider his arguments. The question also serves as the main idea throughout his speech, linking all other details together.