Final answer:
The term "soul" was first used to describe how gospel music could move people emotionally, stemming from African American spirituals rich in African and Christian traditions. These spirituals and hymns laid the groundwork for many contemporary American music genres and served as a form of resistance and expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term "soul" was first used for African American music in reference to gospel groups' ability to "stir people's souls." African American spiritual songs varied in form including shouts, anthems, and jubilees. Historian Albert J. Raboteau observed that these songs combined elements of African and Christian influences, where the African impact could be heard in the spirituals' call-and-response form, syncopated rhythms, and the use of "blue" notes that are bent into minor tones. The lined-out hymnody, also known as "surge songs," demonstrated the blend of West African and European American influences, leaving a profound cultural expression that laid foundations for future American music genres such as blues, jazz, and even rock n' roll.
Slave songs were not just a spiritual release but also a form of resistance and expression of community. The Exodus theme in spiritual songs allowed for messages of hope and overcoming adversity to be conveyed within the African American communities, hence becoming a bedrock for later genres and also assisting in the abolitionist movement in America. These contributions to music and culture are invaluable and demonstrate the resilience of the African American spirit and identity in the face of oppression.