School of the Future
J Copeland
Politics and Government
Unit 1 – Did the Framers intend to create a revolutionary
and democratic government?
The Declaration of
Independence – level 2 vocabulary list
1.
entitle: give (someone) a legal right or a just claim
to receive or do something.
"employees
are normally entitled to severance pay"
2.
impel: drive, force, or urge (someone) to do
something.
"financial
difficulties impelled him to desperate
measures"
3.
self-evident: not needing to be demonstrated or
explained; obvious.
"self-evident
truths"
4.
endow: provide with a quality, ability, or asset.
"he
was endowed with tremendous physical strength"
5.
unalienable: unable to be taken away from or given
away by the possessor.
"freedom
of religion, the most inalienable of all human rights"
6.
instituted: set in motion or establish (something,
especially a program, system, or inquiry).
"the
Illinois Department of Conservation instituted a hunt to remove deer"
7.
derive: obtain something from (a specified source).
"they
derived great comfort from this assurance"
8. alter: change or cause to change in character or composition,
typically in a comparatively small but significant way.
9.
prudence: acting with or showing care and thought for the future.
10. dictate: lay down
authoritatively; prescribe.
"the
tsar's attempts to dictate policy"
11.
transient: lasting only for a short time;
impermanent.
"a
transient cold spell"
12. hath: archaic third person singular present of have.
13. accustomed: customary or usual.
"his
accustomed route"
14. usurpations: taking someone's power or property by force. Locking
the teacher outside of the classroom and taking charge of math class is a form
of usurpation.
15. invariable: never changing.
"disillusion
was the almost invariable result"
16. evince: reveal the presence of (a quality or feeling).
"his letters evince the excitement he felt at undertaking
this journey"
be
evidence of; indicate.
"man's inhumanity to man as
evinced in the use of torture"
17. despotism: the exercise of absolute power, especially in a
cruel and oppressive way.
"the
King's arbitrary despotism"
18.
constrain: severely restrict the scope, extent, or
activity of.
"agricultural
development is considerably constrained by climate"
compel or force (someone) toward a particular course of action.
"children
are constrained to work in the way the book dictates"
cause to
appear unnaturally forced, typically because of embarrassment.
19. candid: truthful
and straightforward; frank.
"his
responses were remarkably candid"
20. utterly: completely
and without qualification; absolutely.
"he
looked utterly ridiculous"
21. relinquish: voluntarily cease to keep or claim; give up.
22.
inestimable: too great to calculate.
"a
treasure of inestimable value"
23.
formidable: inspiring fear or respect through being
impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable.
"a
formidable opponent"
24.
tyrant: a cruel and oppressive ruler.
"the
tyrant was deposed by popular demonstrations"
25. depository: a place where things are stored.
26. fatiguing:
cause (someone) to feel
tired or exhausted.
"they
were fatigued by their journey"
27.
compliance: the action or fact of complying with a
wish or command.
"they
must secure each other's cooperation or compliance"
comply:
act in accordance with a wish or command.
"we
are unable to comply with your request"
28.
dissolutions: the closing down or dismissal of an
assembly, partnership, or official body.
"the
dissolution of their marriage"
29. annihilation: completely destroying or defeating
someone or something:
30.
endeavor: try hard to do or achieve something.
"he
is endeavoring to help the Third World"
31.
hither: to or toward this place.
"I
little knew then that such calamity would summon me hither!"
32.
tenure: the holding of an office.
"his
tenure of the premiership would be threatened"
give (someone) a permanent post, especially as a teacher or
professor.
"I
had recently been tenured and then promoted to full professor"
33.
arbitrary: based on random choice or personal whim,
rather than any reason or system.
"his
mealtimes were entirely arbitrary"
34. abdicate: renounce one's throne; fail to fulfill or undertake (a
responsibility or duty).
35. ravage: cause
severe and extensive damage to.
"fears
that a war could ravage their country"
36.
mercenary: (of a person or their behavior)
primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics.
a
professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army.
37. desolation: a state
of complete emptiness or destruction.
"the
stony desolation of the desert"
38.
barbarous: savagely cruel; exceedingly brutal.
"many
early child-rearing practices were barbarous by modern standards"
39. brethren: archaic plural form of brother.
40. emigration:
the act of leaving one's country or region with the intent to settle
permanently in another.
41.
magnanimity:
