CHOICE OF WORDS " perfidy and usurpations" which goes in each BLANK

Question

I looked these up in 4 places and I am still confused they seem to have very similar meanings - I think 1 = perfidy and 2 = usurpations

1. We have already seen " circumstances of cruelty and ___________ scarcely paralleded in the most barbarous ages ..."

2. A long train of abuses and __________ ...has envinced a design to reduce a sunder absolute despotism.

Answer 1

I believe you're right.

Another clue is that "cruelty and ___" seems to call for a singular form, while "abuses and ___" seems to call for a plural form.

But most of all, the meanings match best in the order you've chosen.

=)