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Boston Hymn

From Poems by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) was an American essayist, philosopher and poet, and a leading figure of the Transcendentalist movement. 'Boston Hymn' was composed for a jubilee concert held in Boston on 1 January 1863, the day the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. The poem presents the abolition of slavery as the fulfilment of a divine command spoken to the Pilgrims and carried forward through the founding of the American republic. Emerson casts the proclamation in theological terms, arguing that freedom is God's purpose and that a nation built on the labour and dignity of the humble can make just laws. This text is worth a reader's time because it grapples with the intersection of faith, justice and political action at a pivotal moment in American history, and because it asks what obligations the powerful owe to those they have exploited. This text reflects its era.

Band

Blue · Independent readers, confidentTypical starting range: ages 12–14

Length

long · about 975 words in 3 sections · 2 pictures

Source

Poems, Ralph Waldo Emerson

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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