2.3: Poet of the Revolution: Phillis Wheatly and American Freedom

History: Beyond the Textbook

She arrived in Boston in the 1760's, was purchased by the wealthy Wheatly family, and went on to become a published, not to mention, accomplished, poet. She enjoyed an up-close view of the key events leading up to the American Revolution, commemorated many of these events in memorable prose, and traveled to London to secure a publisher for her work. Amidst it all, she dealt with the scrutiny and doubt of a potential audience who found it hard to believe that a woman who was enslaved could use the English language so eloquently...but she could, she did, and her words spoke for a young nation yearning for its own freedom. On this episode of History: Beyond the Textbook, we explore poet Phillis Wheatly and the expanding concept of "freedom" in the developing United States.
Key People
Phillis Wheatly
George Whitefield
Benjamin Franklin
George Washington
Key Events
Stamp Act
Boston Massacre
Emancipation

The second season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped the Revolutionary era in American history, and runs from February 27-May 7.
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