Unit 1 Selections TEST
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: CORRUPT from Franklin's Speech in the Convention: ". . . I think a general government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."
(adj.) dishonest; lacking morals
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: REDRESS from Amendment I of the Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law [that would involve] abridging . . . the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
(noun) a correction; the setting right of some wrong
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: CONCLAVE from America's Constitution: A Biography by Akhil Reed Amar (b. 1958), an expert on constitutional law "The proposal itself had emerged from a special conclave held in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787."
(noun) a private, secret, or special group or meeting; a gathering of a group
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: INTEGRITY from Franklin's Speech in the Convention: "Much of the strength and efficiency of any government, in procuring and securing happiness to the people, depends on opinion, on the general opinion of the goodness of that government, as well as of the wisdom and integrity of its governors."
(noun) commitment to moral or ethical principles
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: PETITION from Amendment I of the Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law [that would involve] abridging . . . the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
(verb) to formally request; to seek help from
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: ABRIDGE from Amendment I of the Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law [that would involve] abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble . . ."
(verb) to limit, to lessen the strength or effect of (something, such as a right) ~ also a multiple-meaning word: (verb) to shorten (a book, a play, etc.) by leaving out some parts EXAMPLE: The teacher abridged the story so that she could review only the basic plot points with her students.
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: PRESCRIBE from Amendment III of the Bill of Rights: "No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered [placed to stay or live for a short period of time] in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law."
(verb) to state in writing; to set down as a rule; to make (something) an official rule ~ also a multiple-meaning word: (verb) to officially tell someone to use (a medicine, therapy, diet, etc.) as a remedy or treatment EXAMPLE: My doctor prescribed antibiotics for my infection.
Add commas where necessary in the following sentence: According to Amendment VI, defendants will have a speedy and public trial will face witnesses and will be represented by a lawyer.
According to Amendment VI, defendants will have a speedy and public trial will face witnesses and will be represented by a lawyer.
~ from Preamble to the Constitution--Bill of Rights (Analyze the Text): Which Americans were not granted the freedoms and rights set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
Enslaved African Americans were not granted these rights and freedoms. Women's rights were not specifically mentioned in the Constitution. TOPIC FOR ARGUMENT: Do you think African Americans are fully granted these rights and freedoms today? What about women?
What does the Latin suffix -ist indicate about a word?
It identifies a word as an adjective or a noun. It often appears in words that relate to attitudes or philosophies. For example, the word realist means "a person who sees thing as they really are." populist as an adjective: a populist philosophy populist as a noun: a populist who worked for the people
from Sleepy Hollow Who is the damsel, or young woman who is not married, mentioned in the following passage? "As the enraptured Ichabod fancied all this . . . his heart yearned after the damsel who was to inherit these domains . . ." (40).
Katrina Van Tassel
~ from Preamble to the Constitution--Bill of Rights (Analyze the Text): How does Amendment VIII relate to the theme of freedom? "Excessive bail [property or money given to the court to ensure that an arrested person released from custody will return at a certain time] shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
People who are charged with (and later found guilty of) crimes will not endure punishments that are inhumane. TOPIC FOR ARGUMENT: What do you consider a "cruel and unusual" punishment? What do you think about the death penalty?
A rhetorical strategy is technique one can use when making an argument. One such strategy is an analogy or comparison. The use of an analogy can clarify complex ideas by explaining an unfamiliar notion in terms of a familiar one. In paragraph 4 of the excerpt from America's Constitution: A Biography excerpt, Amar writes: Like the phrases "I do" in an exchange of wedding vows and "I accept" in a contract, the Preamble's words actually performed the very thing they described. What point does the author make by using this analogy?
Using this analogy, Amar makes the point that the Constitution represented a binding commitment that affected how people live their lives.
"Colonist Christopher Gadsden created this flag during the American Revolution. Referencing Franklin's "Join or Die" cartoon, the flag is expressly directed at the English, showing a whole snake ready to strike."
What is the purpose of this piece of propaganda?
"Paul Revere engraved this image in 1770 after the Boston Massacre, in which several colonists were shot to death by British soldiers. Revere's depiction does not show the events exactly as they happened. For example, the Americans had been rioting against the British authorities when the shots were fired. Also, the British did not have a clear firing line. Rather, they had been surrounded and were struggling with the crowd."
What is the purpose of this piece of propaganda?
What does PEERLESS mean? Ichabod's "only study was how to gain the affections of the peerless [having no equal : better than all others] daughter of Van Tassel . . . [but] . . . he had to encounter a host of fearful adversaries of real flesh and blood . . . Among these, the most formidable [very powerful or strong] was a burly [strong and heavy], roaring, roystering [roistering, engaging in noisy activity] blade [swordsman]" (42-47).
having no equal; better than all others
The American Revolution: Visual Propaganda What is propaganda?
information, ideas, or rumors spread widely and deliberately to help or harm a person, group, movement, cause, or nation • Creators of propaganda attempt to persuade people by presenting images and words that strongly suggest a particular slant, or viewpoint. • Propaganda encourages people to react emotionally rather than logically—for example, to vote a certain way out of fear or to oppose a cause out of anger.
What does BURLY mean? Ichabod's "only study was how to gain the affections of the peerless [having no equal : better than all others] daughter of Van Tassel . . . [but] . . . he had to encounter a host of fearful adversaries of real flesh and blood . . . Among these, the most formidable [very powerful or strong] was a burly [strong and heavy], roaring, roystering [roistering, engaging in noisy activity] blade [swordsman]" (42-47).
strong and heavy
The American Revolution: Visual Propaganda What is symbolism?
the use of images or objects to represent ideas or qualities • Symbolism uses images and objects that many people associate with certain concepts, such as a flag to represent a country, a rose to represent love, or the color red to represent danger. • In propaganda, symbolism appears primarily in visuals because it provides a quick way to convey meaning.
What does FORMIDABLE mean? Ichabod's "only study was how to gain the affections of the peerless [having no equal : better than all others] daughter of Van Tassel . . . [but] . . . he had to encounter a host of fearful adversaries of real flesh and blood . . . Among these, the most formidable [very powerful or strong] was a burly [strong and heavy], roaring, roystering [roistering, engaging in noisy activity] blade [swordsman]" (42-47).
very powerful or strong
What was Franklin's purpose in delivering his Speech in the Convention?
"On the whole, Sir, I cannot help expressing a wish, that every member of the convention who may still have objections to it, would with me on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility, and, to make manifest our unanimity, put his name to this instrument." He was trying to persuade those who oppose the general Constitution to consider the fact that they, as humans, might be flawed in their thinking. They should therefore change their minds and officially approve of the Constitution by signing it.
What does the suffix -ity mean?
"state or quality of" "When this suffix is added to an adjective, the resulting word is a noun. For example, in the word infallibility, the suffix is added to the adjective infallible, which means "incapable of failing." The resulting noun means "the state of being incapable of failing."
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: SALUTARY from Franklin's Speech in the Convention: "If every one of us, in returning to our constituents, were to report the objections he has had to it, and endeavor to gain partisans in support of them, we might prevent its being generally received, and thereby lose all the salutary effects and great advantages resulting naturally in our favor among foreign nations, as well as among ourselves, from our real or apparent unanimity [state of being in agreement]."
(adj.) beneficial; promoting a positive purpose
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: LOATHSOME from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano BACKGROUND: The son of a West African tribal elder, Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) might have followed in his father's footsteps had he not been sold into slavery. He was taken first to the West Indies and later brought to Virginia, where he was purchased by a British captain and employed at sea. Renamed Gustavus Vassa, Equiano was enslaved for nearly ten years. In this excerpt of his autobiography, Olaudah Equiano describes how slave traders kidnapped him and his sister from their home in West Africa and transported them to the African coast. "The stench of the hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for any time, and some of us had been permitted to stay on the deck for the fresh air; but now that the whole ship's cargo were confined together, it became absolutely pestilential [relating to diseases that cause death]."
(adjective) causing feelings of hatred or disgust : very bad TOPIC FOR ARGUMENT: Do you think the country has evolved far enough morally since the times of slavery?
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: POPULIST from America's Constitution: A Biography "All told, eight states elected convention delegates under special rules that were more populist and less property-focused than normal, and two others followed standing rules that let virtually all taxpaying adult male citizens vote."
(adjective) of or relating to a political party that claims to represent ordinary people
One two type of context clue is a SYNONYM, a word that means nearly the same of an unknown word that is included in the sentence in which the unknown word is used. In the example provided, which context clue could help you determine the meaning of ratify if you didn't already know what it means?
New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, approving the document by a margin of 57 to 47.
Another two type of context clue is a ANTONYM, a word that means the opposite of an unknown word that is included in the sentence in which the unknown word is used. In the example provided, which context clue could help you determine the meaning of rigid if you didn't already know what it means?
Opponents of the new Constitution were relatively rigid, but proponents such as Madison and Franklin were resourceful and flexible.
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: DEJECTED from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano "One day, when we had a smooth sea and moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings and jumped into the sea; immediately, another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would very soon have done the same, if they had not been prevented by the ship's crew, who were instantly alarmed."
(adjective) sad, depressed, in low spirits
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: EMINENT from America's Constitution: A Biography "After deliberating behind closed doors for months, the Philadelphia conferees unveiled their joint proposal in mid-September in a document signed by thirty-nine of the continent's most eminent men, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Wilson, Roger Sherman, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, John Rutledge, and Nathaniel Gorham."
(adjective) successful, well-known, important and/or respected
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: WRETCHED from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano "This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable, and the filth of the necessary tubs, into which the children often fell, and were almost suffocated."
(adjective) very bad or unpleasant; causing misery or distress; of very poor quality
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: DESPOTISM from Franklin's Speech in the Convention: ". . . I think a general government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."
(noun) a system in which a ruler who has total power and who often uses that power in cruel and unfair ways
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: EXERCISE from Amendment I of the Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." TOPIC FOR ARGUMENT: Have you had any experiences involving freedom of religion, freedom of speech, or freedom of the press?
(noun) an implementation; the act of putting something into action; the action of implementing one's right to do something (verb) to make effective in action; to implement or make something active The word exercise is a multiple-meaning word, meaning that is has more than one meaning. ~ As a noun, exercise can refer to physical exertion that maintains or improves health. Example: Running is an exercise that helps to keep me healthy. ~ It also can refer to an activity that tests or displays a particular skill. Example: Their exercise in separating from their technology for the weekend helped them to see how addicted they are to it. ~ As a verb, it can refer to the action of physical training. Example: I feel great after I exercise at the gym.
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: INFALLIBILITY from Franklin's Speech in the Convention: "Though many private persons think almost as highly of their own infallibility as of that of their sect, few express it so naturally as a certain French lady, who, in a little dispute with her sister, said, "But I meet with nobody but myself that is always in the right."
(noun) inability to be wrong or to make mistakes
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: PREJUDICE from Franklin's Speech in the Convention: "I doubt, too, whether any other convention we can obtain, may be able to make a better constitution; for, when you assemble a number of men, to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views."
(noun) unfavorable opinions or feelings formed beforehand or without factual support TOPIC FOR ARGUMENT: What prejudices do you think exist today? How should they be addressed?
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: INFRINGE from Amendment II of the Bill of Rights: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear [be equipped with] arms, shall not be infringed."
(verb) to violate; to wrongly limit or restrict (something, such as another person's rights)
What does ABODE mean? "In this by-place of nature there abode [lived], in a remote period of American history, that is to say, some thirty years since, a worthy wight [living creature, usually a human being] of the name of Ichabod Crane, who sojourned [traveled to and stayed as a temporary resident], or, as he expressed it, "tarried [lingered]," in Sleepy Hollow, for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity" (13-14).
(verb)--to live (noun)--a place where someone lives
What are context clues? Why are they important?
- helpful words and phrases in the surrounding text that can make unfamiliar word clearer You can apply your knowledge of context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words you encounter when you read.
What does TARRY mean? "In this by-place of nature there abode [lived], in a remote period of American history, that is to say, some thirty years since, a worthy wight [living creature, usually a human being] of the name of Ichabod Crane, who sojourned [traveled to and stayed as a temporary resident], or, as he expressed it, "tarried [lingered]," in Sleepy Hollow, for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity" (13-14).
- to linger; to delay or be late in doing something
What does the Latin root -ject- mean? How does it contribute to the meaning of the concept vocabulary word dejected?
- to throw It contributes to the meaning of the concept vocabulary word dejected in that a dejected person is one who has been thrown down in a sense by circumstances that make him or her feel so low.
from Sleepy Hollow Who is the adversary, or opponent, mentioned in the following? Ichabod's "only study was how to gain the affections of the peerless [having no equal : better than all others] daughter of Van Tassel . . . [but] . . . he had to encounter a host of fearful adversaries of real flesh and blood . . . Among these, the most formidable [very powerful or strong] was a burly [strong and heavy], roaring, roystering [roistering, engaging in noisy activity] blade [swordsman]" (42-47).
Brom Bones
Given the following details, what is a logical explanation for Ichabod's supposed encounter with the Headless Horseman? ⦿ "Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and in the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash, - he was tumbled headlong into the dust, and Gunpowder, the black steed, and the goblin rider, passed by like a whirlwind" (115-116). ⦿ ". . . on the bank of a broad part of the brook, where the water ran deep and black, was found the hat of the unfortunate Ichabod, and close beside it a shattered pumpkin" (117). ⦿ "It is true, an old farmer, who had been down to New York on a visit several years after, and from whom this account of the ghostly adventure was received, brought home the intelligence that Ichabod Crane was still alive" (121).
Brom Bones dressed up like a headless horseman, chased Ichabod Crane, and threw a pumpkin at his (which Ichabod mistakenly believed to be the horseman's head). In fear, Ichabod left town, even though many townspeople continued to believe that he "was spirited away by supernatural means."
What is Benjamin Franklin's purpose in saying the following in his Speech in the Convention? "It is therefore that, the older I grow, the more apt [likely] I am to doubt my own judgment of others." Why is this statement ironic?
He is trying to convince those who are opposed to passing the Constitution that they might be wrong in their thinking. Something is ironic if the reality is different from what is expected. In this case, one would expect that Franklin would become more confident as he gets older, but the reality is that he actually doubts his own judgment more because a wise and experienced person knows how fallible [capable of being wrong] humans are.
Listing, or enumeration, is the way in which points in the Preamble to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are organized and requires the use of commas. When enumerating ideas, place a comma between each item in the series. What is the serial or Oxford comma? According to the MLA guidelines, should writers use the Oxford comma?
In English language punctuation, a serial comma or series comma (also called an Oxford comma) is a comma placed immediately before the coordinating conjunction (usually and, or, or nor) in a series of three or more terms. EXAMPLES: I ate pizza, cake, and ice cream. I won't eat mushrooms, mayonnaise, or eggplant. I will eat neither mushrooms, mayonnaise, nor eggplant. Although the Pearson curriculum indicates that the choice to use the serial (or Oxford) comma is a matter of style, the MLA guideline is "to use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series." EXAMPLE: The candidate promised to lower taxes, protect the environment, reduce crime, and end unemployment. TIP from Pearson: Serial commas can increase the clarity of your writing. Consider this sentence without a serial comma: "The actress plays Marina, a mermaid and a comedian." Did the actress play one person, Marina, who is a mermaid and a comedian? Or did she play three separate characters? Use of the serial comma eliminates this ambiguity.
"This political cartoon was published by Benjamin Franklin in 1754. The segments of the snake are labeled with the initials of American colonies. The purpose of the cartoon was to urge the colonies to unite against the French in the French and Indian War. During the American Revolution, it took on new meaning as a symbol of colonial protest against Great Britain."
What is the purpose of this piece of propaganda?
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: PREAMBLE Preamble to the Constitution "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
a statement at the beginning of a document that explains who is issuing or announcing it in a public way ("We the people") and for what purpose ("in order to . . .)
In what ways does the image of the Boston Massacre distort facts in order to present a story that is favorable to one side? What does this image suggest about propaganda as a source of reliable information?
answer from Pearson: "The image does not show that Americans had been rioting and does not show the Americans surrounding the British. Answers should address the untrustworthy nature and purpose of propaganda." TOPIC FOR ARGUMENT: Do you consider any of the political ads today propaganda? How do? Is it ethical to use propaganda as a way of persuading an audience to join your cause?
CONCEPT VOCABULARY: SUFFER *in the way it is used in this context from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano "One day, when we had a smooth sea and moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings and jumped into the sea; immediately, another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would very soon have done the same, if they had not been prevented by the ship's crew, who were instantly alarmed."
from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suffered: (verb) permit "I have done what man could. Suffer me to go." — Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee
An allusion is a passing or unexplained reference to something from history or culture. In paragraph 2 [see below] , what is the purpose of Franklin's allusion to the builders of Babel? "It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear, that our councils are confounded like those of the builders of Babel, and that our states are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another's throats."
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Babel: "According to the story, a united humanity of the generations following the Great Flood, speaking a single language and migrating eastward, came to the land of Shinar. There they agreed to build a city and a tower "tall enough to reach heaven"; seeing this, God, viewing such behavior as rude and disrespectful, confounded their speech so that they could no longer understand each other and scattered them around the world." answer from Pearson: "Because of God's judgment, the builders went their separate ways, and the Tower of Babel was never completed. Franklin's purpose is to warn the delegates that their disputes may cause the Constitution never to be established."
from Sleepy Hollow What or what is the following describing? "The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head. It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball, in some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War, and who is ever and anon seen by the country folk hurrying along in the gloom of night, as if on the wings of the wind" (6-7)
the Headless Horseman
from Sleepy Hollow Which "remote period of American history" is mentioned in the following passage? "In this by-place of nature there abode [lived], in a remote period of American history, that is to say, some thirty years since, a worthy wight [living creature, usually a human being] of the name of Ichabod Crane, who sojourned [traveled to and stayed as a temporary resident], or, as he expressed it, "tarried [lingered]," in Sleepy Hollow, for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity" (13-14).
the Revolutionary War
The American Revolution: Visual Propaganda What is an appeal?
the ability to attract and engage an audience's mind or emotions • A logical appeal (called logos) influences reason. • An emotional appeal (called pathos) targets or manipulates people's feelings. • Propaganda depends much more heavily upon pathos than upon logos. APPROACH TO WRITING YOUR ARGUMENT: Do you think it is ethical to appeal only to an audience's emotions without providing balanced factual information?
What does SOJOURN mean? "In this by-place of nature there abode [lived], in a remote period of American history, that is to say, some thirty years since, a worthy wight [living creature, usually a human being] of the name of Ichabod Crane, who sojourned [traveled to and stayed as a temporary resident], or, as he expressed it, "tarried [lingered]," in Sleepy Hollow, for the purpose of instructing the children of the vicinity" (13-14).
to travel to and stay as a temporary resident
