Thomas Aikenhead

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/thomas-aikenhead

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Thomas Aikenhead born?Circa 1676
2. Where was Thomas Aikenhead born?Edinburgh, Scotland
3. When did Thomas Aikenhead die?January 8, 1697
4. What is Thomas Aikenhead known for?Being the last person in Great Britain executed for blasphemy
5. What is the age at execution?20 years old
6. What is the legal charge?Blasphemy under the Blasphemy Act 1661 and Blasphemy Act 1695

Blasphemy: The act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or sacred things, considered a crime in historical legal contexts.
Heresy: Belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine, historically punishable by severe measures.
Capital Punishment: The death penalty, a sentence of death imposed by a court of law as punishment for a crime.
Secularization: The process whereby religious influence declines in society and public life.