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Quiz for Thinking Like a Historian: Becoming Literate: Public Education and Democracy

Question

1. What does the author of source 1 suggest will occur if Pennsylvania provides universal free public education?

The poor will take land from the rich.

The rich will educate the poor.

The poor will work harder and better.

The poor will work less conscientiously.

Correct. The answer is d. The author suggests that the poor worked hard in part to earn the means to educate their children. If the state provided free education, he posits, the poor would have less incentive to do their jobs.

Incorrect. The answer is d. The author suggests that the poor worked hard in part to earn the means to educate their children. If the state provided free education, he posits, the poor would have less incentive to do their jobs.

Question

2. What did Thaddeus Stevens (source 2) suggest would happen if Pennsylvania provided universal free public education for its children?

It will degrade the free republic.

Citizens will gain the knowledge they need to govern.

Politicians will undermine families’ privacy.

The state will spend too much money on schools.

Correct. The answer is b. Stevens was arguing in favor of universal public education, suggesting that it was necessary so that American citizens could gain the information they needed to participate in elections and allow for the continuation of an effective democracy.

Incorrect. The answer is b. Stevens was arguing in favor of universal public education, suggesting that it was necessary so that American citizens could gain the information they needed to participate in elections and allow for the continuation of an effective democracy.

Question

3. According to the author of “Popular Education” (source 4), education was a necessary precondition for

freedom.

government.

rights.

property.

Correct. The answer is a. The author of “Popular Education” argued that people could not be truly free unless they had the benefit of education and literacy, which would allow them to recognize their rights, pursue their welfare, and understand and influence their government.

Incorrect. The answer is a. The author of “Popular Education” argued that people could not be truly free unless they had the benefit of education and literacy, which would allow them to recognize their rights, pursue their welfare, and understand and influence their government.

Question

4. Individuals like Judge Baker (source 5) believed that widespread education and literacy would

support moral behavior and religious conduct.

uphold American values and property rights.

threaten the legal and social order in Virginia.

undermine religious teaching and practices.

Correct. The answer is c. Judge Baker believed that widespread education and literacy, especially among African Americans, would threaten the legal and social order in Virginia, which was based on slavery and white supremacy.

Incorrect. The answer is c. Judge Baker believed that widespread education and literacy, especially among African Americans, would threaten the legal and social order in Virginia, which was based on slavery and white supremacy.

Question

5. After examining all of the sources included here, a historian might come to the conclusion that

everyone understood that education and literacy were necessary in a successful democracy.

religious Americans worried that universal public education would undermine their churches.

all Americans recognized that universal public education was potentially transformative.

wealthy and powerful Americans were universally opposed to free public education.

Correct. The answer is c. A historian evaluating all six of these sources would come to the conclusion that all Americans recognized that universal public education had the potential to transform American life. Some Americans believed that the transformations that came with universal public education were desirable, whereas others believed that such transformations were undesirable.

Incorrect. The answer is c. A historian evaluating all six of these sources would come to the conclusion that all Americans recognized that universal public education had the potential to transform American life. Some Americans believed that the transformations that came with universal public education were desirable, whereas others believed that such transformations were undesirable.