Unit 1: Selection Vocabulary 3

This list covers Literary Seminar: Revolutionary Thinking, "On Being Brought from Africa to America," and "An Address to Miss Phillis Wheatley."
15 words 122 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. aspect
    a characteristic to be considered
    The key aspect of this movement was the belief that people could use reason to understand the universe and make the world a better place, which in turn had a dramatic effect on the place of religion in society.
  2. theorist
    someone who constructs hypotheses
    Locke was one of England’s most significant theorists in the areas of philosophy and political science.
  3. somewhat
    to a small degree or extent
    In the second paragraph of the Declaration, Jefferson writes that people “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Locke identifies basic rights as “life, liberty and property,” so Jefferson expands the definition somewhat.
  4. convert
    change religious beliefs, or adopt a religious belief
    On that note, slave owners were encouraged to provide a basic education to enslaved peoples, so that they could independently read the Bible and be converted to Christianity.
  5. ongoing
    currently happening
    For instance, Phillis Wheatley’s poem “On Being Brought from Africa to America” explores race, equality, and religion, and reflects the complexities of the developing American identity and the ongoing hypocrisies inherent in a nation championing independence that continued to enslave people.
  6. pagan
    relating to a polytheistic, pre-Christian religion
    'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
    Taught my benighted soul to understand
    That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too
  7. benighted
    lacking enlightenment or knowledge or culture
    'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
    Taught my benighted soul to understand
    That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too
  8. sable
    of a dark somewhat brownish black
    Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
    “Their colour is a diabolic die.”
  9. scornful
    expressing extreme contempt
    Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
    “Their colour is a diabolic die.”
  10. diabolic
    extremely evil or cruel
    Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
    “Their colour is a diabolic die.”
  11. cease
    have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense
    Fair wisdom’s ways are paths of peace,
    And they that walk therein,
    Shall reap the joys that never cease
    And Christ shall be their king.
  12. heathen
    not acknowledging the God of Christianity, Judaism and Islam
    Thou hast left the heathen shore;
    Thro’ mercy of the Lord,
    Among the heathen live no more,
    Come magnify thy God.
  13. relief
    assistance in time of difficulty
    Thou, Phillis, when thou hunger hast,
    Or pantest for thy God;
    Jesus Christ is thy relief,
    Thou hast the holy word.
  14. suffice
    be adequate, either in quality or quantity
    There’s nothing that shall suffice
    But Christ’s redeeming blood.
  15. incessantly
    without interruption
    Now glory be to the Most High,
    United praises given
    By all on earth, incessantly,
    And all the hosts of heav’n.
Created on Mon Dec 21 09:53:54 EST 2020 (updated Tue Jan 05 09:04:10 EST 2021)

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