A Level History - America - Practice Exam

What was the general status of African American education during the Gilded Age?

1. Rapidly improving

2. Severely underfunded

3. Widely accessible

4. Completely integrated

The correct answer is: Severely underfunded

During the Gilded Age, the general status of African American education was severely underfunded. This period followed the Reconstruction era and was marked by the establishment of Jim Crow laws, which enforced racial segregation and discrimination in many areas of public life, including education. As a result, while there were some efforts to establish schools for African Americans, these institutions often received significantly less funding compared to schools for white students, leading to inadequate facilities, insufficient teaching materials, and a lack of qualified teachers. Furthermore, the pervasive racism of the time resulted in limited access to quality education for African Americans, particularly in the Southern states. Many African American children were denied regular access to schools altogether, and those that did attend often faced significant obstacles, including a hostile atmosphere and a curriculum designed to limit their educational advancement. The other options do not accurately represent the educational climate for African Americans during the Gilded Age. Education was not rapidly improving due to systemic barriers and a lack of investment, nor was it widely accessible because many African American children were excluded from educational opportunities. Integration of schools was also not a reality during this time, as segregation was firmly in place, further highlighting the stark inequities faced by African Americans in education.