Phillis Wheatley was the first African - American to become a published poet. Born in Africa and sold into slavery, Wheatley learned to read and write and showed remarkable talents at an early age. She published her first poem at the age of 17, and three years later an entire volume of her poetry was published. Wheatley lived in Boston, Massachusetts during the time of the Boston Tea Party, and the American Revolution.
At the age of 25, she married John Peters, a free black man, and had two children. Before she died at age 31, she became a patriot and a great admirer of George Washington, about whom she wrote:
Wheatley often wrote elegies, poems praising people who had died. Here are a few lines of one:
A.) Read this first article about Phillis
Wheatley.
B.) Answer these questions:
1. In what year was Phillis sold from a slave ship in Boston?
2. What privilege was Phillis given that was unusual for a slave?
3. When did Phillis begin to write poetry?
4. What happened to Phillis after she married John Peters?
C.) Read a second article about
Phillis
Wheatley.
D.) Answer these questions.
1. How was Wheatley somewhat more lucky than other people sold into slavery?
2. Why did Wheatley publish her poems in London?
3. What things did Wheatley write about? (Use the dictionary to check on unfamiliar words.)
4. Click on the graphic of the first edition of Wheatley s book.
Describe three things that you see.