Question

In this excerpt from Phillip Freneau's poem “American Liberty,” the speaker describes being “slaves and minions to a parliament.” What is the intended meaning of this hyperbole?
And should we now when spread thro' ev'ry shore,
Submit to that our fathers shunn'd before?
Should we, just heaven, our blood and labour spent,
be slaves and minions to a parliament?
Perish the thought, nor may one wretch remain,
Who dares not fight and in our cause be slain;

A) The speaker feels that the colonists should pay their share of taxes.

B) The speaker believes that the British government is broken and should be fixed.

C) The speaker thinks that the colonists are being unfairly treated by the British government.

D) The speaker intends to lead a slave revolt against the British government.

Answer 1

I believe the answer is: C) The speaker thinks that the colonists are being unfairly treated by the British government.

we can see it on this line:

Should we, just heaven, our blood and labour spent, be slaves and minions to a . . .

The line above indicate that the writers felt that the colonists have work really hard without receiving proper rewards from the government. This poem is intended to gained support from the readers to support the revolutionary army against the British government.

Answer 2

The correct answer in this question is option C. The speaker thinks that the colonists are being unfairly treated by the British government. Phillip Freneau is called the "Poet of the American Revolution". "American Liberty" was one of his literary pieces that is anti-British.