Because he felt that every man should enjoy and have a right for freedom. Liberty and Justice. As our forefathers said "Give me Liberty Or Give Me Death'. Because his Main speech was the one that dealt with Thomas Paine which is what I just quoted.
The word prodigy applies to Waverly due to her being especially good at chess, or whatever it was she does. Her mother's point of view on prodigy is being the best she can be, and the term applies to her mother by not being quite as smart as her daughter.