Jim Crow Laws In The American South

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While Black citizens could receive “separate but equal” treatment under the law, the reality was quite different for them. Public spaces for Black people were poor in quality compared to those for white people. In addition, Black citizens could not vote in most of the rural South. That’s because, in that area, Black citizens were required to pass a literacy test before they could vote. These literacy tests kept most Black citizens, who often received a weaker education than white citizens, from voting.

What is the MOST accurate explanation of what this paragraph means?

A
Public spaces in the South slowly became better for Black people.

B
The rural South had poor voter participation in most elections.

C
“Separate but equal” laws meant that Black people had inferior public spaces and were also kept from voting.

D
Literacy tests led to Black people placing an emphasis on better education and becoming informed voters.

 

Sample Solution

The most accurate explanation of the paragraph is:

C. “Separate but equal” laws meant that Black people had inferior public spaces and were also kept from voting.

Here’s why the other options are incorrect:

  • A. Public spaces in the South slowly became better for Black people. The passage suggests the opposite, that Black people had inferior public spaces.
  • B. The rural South had poor voter participation in most elections. While literacy tests might have contributed to lower voter turnout, the passage doesn’t directly address overall participation.
  • D. Literacy tests led to Black people placing an emphasis on better education and becoming informed voters. The passage highlights the discriminatory nature of the tests, not a positive outcome for Black education or voting rights.

The paragraph describes the reality of “separate but equal” being unequal for Black people. They had poorer public spaces and faced barriers to voting through literacy tests. So, option C captures the main idea of the passage.

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