Read the excerpt from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of the same crimes will subject a white man to the like punishment. What problem is Douglass referring to in this excerpt? the alarming rise in crime that was taking place the difficulties of living in Virginia prior to the Civil War the injustice and unreliability of the death penalty the unfair treatment of Black people in the courts

## Step 1<br />The first step in solving this problem is to understand the context of the excerpt. The excerpt is from "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass, a former slave and a prominent abolitionist. The excerpt discusses the disparity in the punishment of crimes committed by black and white people in the State of Virginia.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The next step is to analyze the options given. The options are:<br />- the alarming rise in crime that was taking place<br />- the difficulties of living in Virginia prior to the Civil War<br />- the injustice and unreliability of the death penalty<br />- the unfair treatment of Black people in the courts<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The final step is to match the context of the excerpt with the options given. The excerpt does not discuss the rise in crime, the difficulties of living in Virginia prior to the Civil War, or the injustice and unreliability of the death penalty. Instead, it focuses on the unfair treatment of Black people in the courts, as it highlights the disparity in the punishment of crimes committed by black and white people.