| abettor: |
supporter, helper |
| abject: |
miserable |
| accursed: |
despised, hated |
| actuated: |
motivated |
| adjourn: |
to continue at a later date |
| affidavit: |
written statement sworn to be true |
| Africs clime: |
Africa |
| agency: |
action, power |
| agreeable to : |
according to |
| alienation: |
transferring of property |
| Ango Saxon: |
white |
| animated: |
energetic |
| apathy: |
lack of caring |
| apologist: |
defender |
| apprehend: |
believe |
| assemblage: |
crowd |
| assenting: |
agreeing |
| astir: |
awake |
| atrocious: |
terrible, dreadful |
| barbarous: |
inhuman |
| base: |
evil, contemptible |
| berthan: |
burden; that is, needing financial support from the town |
| brace: |
a pair |
| camp meeting: |
religious gathering held in the open air |
| castigate: |
severely criticize, punish |
| chivalry: |
nobility, gallantry, courtesy |
| cipher: |
(also spelled cypher) something of no value |
| civility: |
politeness |
| claimant: |
person claiming his/her slave has run away |
| colonization: |
relocation of African Americans to Africa |
| common cause: |
independence |
| common school: |
public school |
| complexion: |
skin |
| concert: |
plan |
| confederates: |
allies |
| consternation: |
anxiety |
| contagion: |
fear |
| contempt: |
disgust, scorn |
| contend: |
argue |
| conveyances: |
means of transportation |
| counsel: |
lawyer |
| countenanced: |
permitted, accepted |
| custody: |
under arrest |
| cypher: |
(also spelled cipher) something of no value |
| dastardly: |
cowardly |
| defiance: |
open disobedience |
| degeneracy: |
evil; involved in degrading someone |
| degradation: |
being made to feel unworthy, humiliated |
| degraded: |
humiliated |
| denounce: |
condemn |
| desecrate: |
treat with disrespect, violate |
| despotic: |
dictatorial, tyrannical, oppressive |
| detraction: |
attempt to make something less important |
| dilapidated: |
falling apart |
| discourse: |
discussion |
| disenthralled: |
free |
| dishearten: |
discourage |
| dispassionately: |
without emotion |
| disseminating: |
spreading |
| dissension: |
conflict, protest |
| distinction: |
separation |
| distinction of color: |
racial segregation |
| doctrine: |
principle |
| edicts: |
formal pronouncements |
| elevated sphere: |
high standing |
| eloquence: |
powerful expression |
| enactment: |
law |
| endowed: |
equipped |
| enfranchisement: |
freeing, emancipation |
| equivocate: |
use vague statements to mislead |
| estate: |
inherited property |
| exact: |
expect |
| execute: |
carry out |
| expound: |
explain |
| extension of her wantonness: |
[in this context] to prolong or spread slavery |
| extract: |
heritage, ancestry |
| extricate: |
liberate |
| forbearance: |
self-control |
| forfeit: |
give up |
| founding: |
establishing |
| fugitives from service or labor: |
runaway slaves |
| Ham: |
Second son of Noah, considered to be the ancestor of the Egyptians and of all African peoples south of Egypt. |
| harbor: |
hide |
| hard usage: |
very difficult |
| harlot: |
prostitute |
| Helots of Sparta: |
serfs of ancient Greek city |
| imminent: |
about to happen |
| improprieties: |
indecencies, inappropriate behavior |
| indignant: |
offended, outraged |
| infer: |
conclude |
| inference: |
reasoning from evidence |
| iniquitous: |
terribly unjust |
| inmates: |
residents |
| innate: |
inborn |
| instrument: |
guiding document |
| intemperance: |
drunkenness |
| intercedes: |
makes a request |
| interposition: |
intervention, help |
| interrogatories for discovery: |
type of legal documents |
| Jim Crow: |
segregated by race |
| liable: |
responsible |
| maw: |
open jaws |
| menial hirelings: |
domestic servants |
| mistress: |
woman involved with and supported by a married man |
| mockery: |
insulting joke |
| moderation: |
calm, middle course |
| molestation: |
interference with |
| negro pew: |
separate seating for black people, usually in a balcony |
| organ: |
[in this context] newspaper or magazine supported by an organization |
| paler hue: |
lighter skin, i.e. white skin |
| palpable: |
tangible, something that can be felt |
| peculiar: |
[older use] particular, special |
| pernicious: |
destructive, evil |
| perpetual: |
permanent, lasting for ever |
| perpetual servitude: |
enslavement |
| persecuting: |
hostile, bad |
| person held to service or labor: |
a runaway or fugitive slave |
| preferred: |
directed |
| presumption: |
inappropriate boldness |
| prevailed: |
been widespread or current |
| privilage of freemen: |
right to vote |
| profuse: |
generous |
| proscription: |
prohibitions |
| proscriptive act: |
restrictive law |
| prosperity: |
future good |
| provisions: |
food and drink |
| pursuers: |
people chasing her |
| quell: |
subdue, quiet |
| rabid: |
unreasonable, extreme |
| ravaging maw: |
great hunger or need |
| ravisher: |
rapist |
| Rebel Chieftain: |
Confederate officer |
| recantation: |
withdrawal of statement or belief |
| recover damages: |
to sue for monetary settlement |
| redemption: |
rescue |
| redress: |
relief |
| refin'd: |
made pure |
| reformatory: |
intended to improve |
| relished: |
enjoyed |
| remedy: |
solution |
| repugnant: |
disgusting, offensive |
| retain: |
keep |
| rod: |
5 ½ yards |
| ruffian: |
lawless person, bully |
| sacked: |
vandalized, trashed |
| saguinary: |
bloody |
| scholars: |
students |
| scourge: |
whip |
| severity: |
harshness |
| sitting: |
assembling |
| slander: |
malicious false statement |
| sloop: |
single-masted sailing vessel |
| Society of Friends: |
Quakers |
| solicitation: |
request |
| soliloquise: |
speak to herself |
| spoilations: |
acts of violence |
| standard: |
flag, banner |
| statutes: |
laws |
| summary: |
performed speedily |
| supremacy: |
having the most power or authority |
| susceptible: |
open to |
| symmetry: |
beauty |
| tendered: |
offered |
| tort: |
wrongful act |
| unequivocal: |
clear, absolute |
| unfurled: |
to be opened up |
| unpaid toil: |
unpaid work, i.e. slavery |
| unreflectingly: |
without thinking |
| wardrobe: |
[in this context] possessions or baggage |
| was to be effected: |
needed to happen |
| wretchedness: |
misery |
