Read the following excerpt from a petition submitted to the House of Representatives of Massachusetts in January 1777:
"The petition of a great number of blacks detained in a state of slavery in the bowels of a free and Christian country humbly showeth that your petitioners apprehend that they have in common with all other men a natural and inalienable right to that freedom which the Great Parent of the Universe hath bestowed equally on all mankind and which they have never forfeited by any compact or agreement..."
Based on the excerpt, which of the following best describes the influence of revolutionary ideals on American society?
- The adaptation of Enlightenment concepts of natural rights by enslaved populations to challenge the institution of slavery.Answer
- BThe constitutional compromise between federal and state authorities to establish a stronger national system of governance.
- CThe formation of early political parties debating whether the federal government should align with France or Great Britain.
- DThe coordination of colonial resistance and economic boycotts against parliamentary taxation policies like the Stamp Act.
Answer
The adaptation of Enlightenment concepts of natural rights by enslaved populations to challenge the institution of slavery.
The correct answer is correct because the petition demonstrates how the revolutionary focus on natural rights and liberty was adopted by enslaved African Americans to demand their own emancipation. The petitioners directly replicate the language of natural rights ('natural and inalienable right to that freedom') to point out the hypocrisy of maintaining slavery in a country fighting for its own independence.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The ideals of the American Revolution, particularly Enlightenment concepts of liberty and natural rights, inspired marginalized groups such as enslaved African Americans to petition for their freedom and challenge existing social institutions.