Seventy-five years after the writing of the United States Constitution, this country has faced multiple changes that have led to revolutionary times of war, protests, and violence. State rights and slavery were key issues that separated Northern states from Southern populations. Four people emerged as leaders at this time: Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and John Brown. Frederick Douglass was a man who thought that all men should be treated equally, but under the constitution of the time, men were not created equal. Fredrick Douglass, a self-taught fugitive slave, became an important leader in the fight against slavery. His beliefs reflected the original ideals written in the Constitution that all men are created equal. Douglass's ability to write and speak persuasively against the moral sin of slavery led to changes in the federal Constitution and the acceptance of equality for all men. Frederick Douglass was a black American born into slavery and once said, “The silver trumpet of freedom raised eternal vigil in my soul.” (Baker), meaning that Douglass always had the need to stop slavery: he was just matter of time. Once old enough he freed himself from slavery and went to England. When Douglass returned to England he became a free citizen. He wrote about civil rights and fought for the freedom of slaves to the people of the United States between half and the late 19th century. He grew up as a slave, taught himself to read and write, and saved money to escape being a slave. Two very notable people in this period who took steps to free slaves are Harriet Tubman and John Brown. Frederick Douglass is different from Harriet Tubman by... middle of paper... important people Douglass wanted to do his own thing, without violence, and his most important thing was to free the slaves. His ideas helped him find a way to help free slaves through his writing and lecturing. Frederick Douglass said, “Without struggle there is no success” (Baker), proving that he wanted to do everything himself. Works Cited Frederick Douglass: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, ed. Houston A. Baker, Jr. (New York: Penguin Books, 1986)Frederick Douglass, "The Heroic Slave." Electronic text: “http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/utc/africam/heroslavhp.html" Original text: Frederick"Harriet Tubman -- A Long Lost Painting?/ Frederick Douglass." Harriet Tubman -- A Long Lost Painting? Np, nd Web. 9 December 2013. Quarles, Benjamin Frederick Douglass, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1968. Print.