High School Unit II

Unit Vocabulary List

$300,000: $300,000 in 1870 has the purchasing value of approximately $4,463,000 today
abject: miserable, wretched
abridged: shortened
adjourned: ended the meeting
alienation: transfer
amalgamation: interracial mariage, mixing of (in this case races)
arbitrary: random
attested: proven
avowed: sworn by
beneficent: doing good
benevolence : acts of kindness or good will
blasphemy: profanity, curses
bodily correction: physical punishment
branch of benevolence: areas of reform, charitable work
breeches: pants
canvass: solicit votes, a campaign strategy
circular: a letter distributed to a large number of people; a mass mailing
commencement: opening
competent: reasonable, adequate
conceded: granted as right or privilege
concession: something given up
conscript: draft, draft into the military service
constrained: limited, restricted
consummation: the making of something complete or perfect
contemplating: suggesting
contingent: representative group
conveyance: transfer, transfer of property
convulsion: complexity, twisting; a major war
correction: punishment
custody: protective care, guardianship
decorum: politeness, appropriate behavior
deem: think
degrade: dishonor, reduce to a lower status
design: plan
diabolical: devil-like
disappointed: surprised
discern: recognize, perceive, distinguish
distracted: mentally ill, not of sound mind
doctrines: principles
elective franchise: right to vote
employment: activity
endeavored: worked
endeavoring: trying hard, struggling
endowed: provided with income
ensuing: coming
estate: property
exercise: put into action
extemporaneous: spoken without preparation, without advance preparation or notes
forensic: pertaining to public debate, rhetorical, used in effective or persuasive speech or writing
forfeit: give up
heirs male of their bodies: sons
humane: compassionate, kind, charitable
idiot: individual with developmental delays; mentally retarded
impromptus: spontaneous, unprepared
inalienable: absolute, nonnegotiable
incalculably: enormously
indulged: permitted
infidelity: unfaithfulness, esp. adultery
injuries: wrongs, offenses
injurious: harmful
intestate: without a will
Jezebel: a wicked, shameless woman
juncture: point of time
just reason: good reason
lamentable: regrettable, miserable
latent: hidden, undeveloped, not visible
licentiousness: immorality, promiscuity
lucid: clear
manifested: shown
menace: nuisance, threat
merits: good points
monopolize: dominate, take complete control of
motley: mixed breed
municipal suffrage: right to vote in town/city elections
notoriously: widely known (negative connotation)
occupation: activity
orated: spoke
peculiar state of commercial affairs: an economic depression
peculiar: extraordinary
phonographic: using a kind of shorthand
pie-bald: (usually in reference to an animal) with patches of color
product of her industry: her earnings
promiscuous: random or indiscriminate
Providence: God or religious tradition
provocation: an act or instance that can be seen as an insult or as offensive
ratified: approved
recompense: payment
redress: correct, make right
referendum: direct popular vote on a political question
relieved: helped
remuneration: payment
renovating: reforming
rouse: wake, excite
sanction: approval
scanty remuneration: little pay
scholars: students
school suffrage: right to vote in school board elections
serviceable: useful
sphere: proper place, area of influence or action
stripes: whipping
submit: obey
subscriptions: pledges (of money)
suffrage states: states where women may vote
superseded: replaced, taken over by
toil: slow hard work
tyranny: cruel and arbitrary use of power
unimpeded: uninterrupted
usurpation: the seizure or taking wrongfully, wrongful seizure
utopia: an imagined perfect place or state of things, ideal place or state
vagabond: a wanderer, bum
want: lack
wholesome: healthy
wrought: created, literally shaped by hammering

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