Phillis Wheatley Research Paper

Phillis Wheatley was born on the West coast of Africa. She was kidnapped at the age of seven, she made the voyage to America alone. Phillis Wheatley arrived in Boston in 1761 at the age of eight. She was named after the boat that bought her here.As a child, Phillis had the gift to write poetry. Wheatley began to learn to read and write, and soon began to write poem. During this time, most slaves weren't taught to read and write because their owners didn't want them to be smarter than the. By Phillis being able to do this it showed that she was as smart as her owners. Within sixteen months of her arrival. Wheatley was able to break a language barrier that had held so many others of her race back.Her desire to learn, read and write was increasing. By her teenage years, Wheatley was a well known author in the New England

People in Boston didn't believe she was the author until some men including John Hancock verified it. In 1774, she wrote a letter regarding slavery, which was printed and read throughout New England. The fact that she was able to publicly go and say that slavery was bad proves that she was an influential voice as an African American during this time. Wheatley used religion and theme of freedom in her poem. For example, Phillis Wheatley made comments supporting American freedom from Britain. Wheatley used poetry to escape from the world, but never shied away from sharing her thoughts. Phillis Wheatleys political poetry had been ignored, but since she lived in Boston she was witness the events leading to the American Revolution. The conflicts inspired Phillis Wheatley to write poems on the horrible events she witnessed.I admire the work of Phillis Wheatley. Her poetry illustrates the humbleness, dedication, and perseverance that is characteristic of many African American women. It also characterizes the state of America during slavery and during a time when so many African American women, men, and children were robbed of their dignity and their