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toddwv

(2,830 posts)
25. I suspect that 90% or higher would be about right for white adult males
Wed Jul 25, 2012, 12:04 PM
Jul 2012

living in urban areas.

However, the problem is that it completely discounts slaves; it was forbidden by law to teach a slave to read. In some areas, the slave population reached 40% of the total population making it virtually impossible that the 90% or higher was realistic except in very specific urban areas that had institutionalized learning available for the masses.

However, I will agree that education was a gem in the US's crown as there definitely was a push to provide more universal education.

That gem has apparently either faded or fallen out completely as anti-intellectualism rears its ugly head and education, just like everything else that has built this country up in the past 100-200 years, is being systematically attacked and dismantled.

Go back and read some letters written by Civil War soldiers.. Fumesucker Jul 2012 #1
Our literacy rate today is lower than when we were British colonies. n/t Egalitarian Thug Jul 2012 #6
No it's not... toddwv Jul 2012 #9
One thing that we have defiantly lost is Drale Jul 2012 #14
Uh.. whathehell Jul 2012 #26
You would think so wouldn't you? I did. We were wrong. Egalitarian Thug Jul 2012 #15
Back in the mid-1800's, something like 90% of the country was literate, though I think it is higher. Hestia Jul 2012 #19
I suspect that 90% or higher would be about right for white adult males toddwv Jul 2012 #25
Hahahahahaha, right. (nt) Posteritatis Jul 2012 #24
no shit...those people could write! madrchsod Jul 2012 #7
However, a lot of those Civil War soldiers could neither read nor write Art_from_Ark Jul 2012 #8
I bet functional illiteracy isn't far off that percentage today.. Fumesucker Jul 2012 #12
So even with the compulsory educational system Art_from_Ark Jul 2012 #13
It's possible that those who were educated 4th law of robotics Jul 2012 #10
They didn't have as much to learn then though. wickerwoman Jul 2012 #20
I think the amount that an educated person could learn was the same 4th law of robotics Jul 2012 #22
It's about relative difficulty and percentage though. wickerwoman Jul 2012 #23
Maybe we just spend less time telling girls "Math is hard." DirkGently Jul 2012 #2
That's because Women cbrer Jul 2012 #3
. Liberal_in_LA Jul 2012 #4
Took 100 years to realize that women are more intelligent? n/t RebelOne Jul 2012 #5
Age 15-18 4th law of robotics Jul 2012 #11
For the 500th time DFW Jul 2012 #16
It helps when ones brain function broadens beyond the best way to wash & iron. Luminous Animal Jul 2012 #17
LOL! whathehell Jul 2012 #27
Just goes to show the IQ tests were biased malthaussen Jul 2012 #18
Multi-tasking.... How I hate that nonsensical word du jour. MattBaggins Jul 2012 #21
Glad to hear we've started having a good influence on them jberryhill Jul 2012 #28
Oh yea, and I bet you believe in GLOBAL WARMING too! rustydog Jul 2012 #29
I think IQ scores are very subjective. Callmecrazy Jul 2012 #30
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