Question

Examine the usage of the words bequeath and posterity in this excerpt from Thomas Paine's Common Sense. Then complete the sentences that follow. The authority of Great Britain over this continent, is a form of government, which sooner or later must have an end: And a serious mind can draw no true pleasure by looking forward, under the painful and positive conviction that what he calls "the present constitution" is merely temporary. As parents, we can have no joy, knowing that this government is not sufficiently lasting to ensure any thing which we may bequeath to posterity.

Answer 1

The sentences that follow the question are these:
1. According to Paine, the government of Great Britain will bequeath ................. to the colonists.
2. The author also implies that the posterity .................................
The complete statements are as follows:
1. According to Paine, the government of Great Britain will bequeath NOTHING THAT WILL ENDURE to the colonists.
Literally, to bequeath something means to leave a personal belong to another person by mean of will. In the excerpt given above, the author is saying that the Great Britain does not have any long lasting value to offer America and this implies that the present generation of America in turn will have nothing to offer the coming generations.
2. The author also implies that the posterity OF ANY NATION HAS THE RIGHT TO BLAME THEIR PREDECESSORS FOR THEIR SUFFERING.
Posterity refers to future generation of a particular person or nation.
From the excerpt given above it can be seen that the author believes that the present day America generation has the responsibility to fight for their coming generations in order to leave a worth inheritance to them, for that is the responsibility of all parents.