Concord staked its claim to be the birthplace of Independence during

Question

Concord staked its claim to be the birthplace of Independence during the celebration of "America’s jubilee" on April 19, 1825, the fiftieth anniversary of Concord Fight. Concord in 1825 was an expansive town of nineteen hundred inhabitants, thriving with crafts and trade in the village and surrounded by farms prospering on demand from rising urban centers in the long boom that accompanied the opening phase of the Industrial Revolution in the Northeast. It also occupied a prominent place on the political landscape; as a shire town, where the county courts convened, it had risen into a leading center of Middlesex County, and its politicians were major players on that stage. Economic and political ambitions, as well as pride in the past, drove the insistence that Concord was the "first site of forcible resistance to British aggression."

A decade later, by the mid-1830s, with over two thousand inhabitants, Concord was probably at its political and economic pinnacle. The central village hosted some nine stores, forty shops, four hotels and taverns, four doctors and four lawyers, a variety of county associations, a printing office and a post office. Manufacturing was humming, too, with a growing mill village in the west part of town, along the quick-running Assabet River, and rising production of carriages and chaises, boots and shoes, bricks, guns, bellows, and pencils.

But a good many people were left out of the prosperity. In what was still a farming town, 64 percent of adult males were landless, while the top tenth of taxpayers, some fifty men, controlled nearly half the wealth. Those who failed to obtain a stake in society, native and newcomer alike, quickly moved on. The ties that once joined neighbors together were fraying. On the farms, the old work customs—the huskings, roof-raisings, and apple bees—by which people cooperated to complete essential chores gave way to modern capitalist arrangements. When men needed help, they hired it, and paid the going rate, which no longer included the traditional ration of grog. With a new zeal for temperance, employers abandoned the custom of drinking with workers in what had been a ritual display of camaraderie. There was no point in pretending to common bonds.

With the loosening of familiar obligations came unprecedented opportunities for personal autonomy and voluntary choice. Massachusetts inaugurated a new era of religious pluralism in 1834, ending two centuries of mandatory support for local churches. Even in Concord, a slim majority approved the change, and as soon as it became law, townspeople deserted the two existing churches—the Unitarian flock of the Reverend Ripley and an orthodox Calvinist congregation founded in 1826—in droves. The Sabbath no longer brought all ranks and orders together in obligatory devotion to the Word of God. Instead, townspeople gathered in an expanding array of voluntary associations—libraries, lyceums, charitable and missionary groups, Masonic lodges, antislavery and temperance societies, among others—to promote diverse projects for the common good. The privileged classes, particularly the village elite, were remarkably active in these campaigns. But even as they pulled back from customary roles and withdrew into private associations, they continued to exercise public power.   1 
 1. The passage suggests which of the following about members of the village elite in post-1834 Concord?

A. Private associations had forced them to relinquish political power.
B. Politically, they were more in favor of religious pluralism than were non-elite citizens.
C. They ceased all Sabbath worship once religious pluralism became law in Massachusetts.
D. Many had abandoned the Unitarian and Calvinist churches in favor of non-church activities.
E. They utilized their wealth to found a growing number of diverse projects for the common good.

2 
 2. The primary purpose of this passage is to

A. argue that religious and political freedom in Concord was beneficial to the city’s economic development
B. depict the lifestyle of Concord’s elite citizens during the 19th century
C. argue that social alienation was necessary for Concord’s economic and political development in the 19th century
D. define Concord’s place in American history post- Independence
E. describe 19th century Concord’s key economic and political changes, along with their impact on societal norms

3 
 3. According to the passage, which of the following is true of 18th-century Massachusetts residents?

A. Most were landless and ultimately forced to move on.
B. They numbered over two thousand.
C. They were forced to support local churches.
D. Some celebrated “America’s Jubilee”.
E. They occupied prominent positions in Middlesex County courts.

4 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following was true of Concord’s economy in the 1840s?

(A) Manufacturing was a growing industry, overtaking farming in importance.
(B) The economy likely was stagnant or in decline relative to the previous decade. 
(C) Land ownership among adult males was on the rise.
(D) The sale and consumption of alcohol declined sharply.
(E) The construction of new farmhouses and other farm buildings slowed.

5 
 5. The author mentions “modern capitalist arrangements” in the third paragraph primarily in order to

(A) Illustrate one aspect of a change in the town’s social structure
(B) Contrast with the old work customs used by most farmers of the time
(C) Establish the earliest development of commerce in the area
(D) Advocate a return to more old-fashioned customs
(E) Explain the fact that less than half of adult males owned land.

Manhattan CAT 1

CrackverbalGMAT · Accepted Answer

We can map this passage -

Para 1 and Para 2 - concord was an important town economically
Para 3 - many people did not make it and moved on/ common relationships changed to be more business like.
para 4 - new era of religious pluralism led to change.

Q1. "village elites" are mentioned in the last paragraph.
A - the last sentence of the paragraph - "even as they pulled back from customary roles and withdrew into private associations, they continued to exercise public power." does not agree with this option.
B - the last paragraph does not mention anything about their political views on religious pluralism. We only know that they were more involved in campaigns for common good.
C - We do not know if the village elite ceased Sabbath worship all together. All we know is that Sabbath did not bring all ranks and orders together. Does not mean they ceased Sabbath completely.
D - correct answer. Look at these sentences - "townspeople deserted the two existing churches/Instead, townspeople gathered in an expanding array of voluntary associations/ The privileged classes, particularly the village elite, were remarkably active in these campaigns.". The 3 sentences suggest that many of the village elite abandoned church activities for such campaigns.
E - "The privileged classes, particularly the village elite, were remarkably active in these campaigns." - this sentence does not mean that they founded such campaigns or that they contributed their wealth to found such campaigns.

Q2. 
A - the passage does not talk about political freedom.The 4th paragraph talks about religious freedom. It says it brought about projects for common good. Nowhere does it talk about its effect on economic development.
B - the passage is about concord, not about its elite. It also does not talk about their lifestyle (except maybe in the last sentence of the passage).
C - the passage does not talk about social alienation at all. Also, this option goes against the tone of the passage.
D - the passage only talks about some events in the 19th century, not the entire post - independence history. Also, its place in history is mentioned only in the first line of the passage.
E - correct answer. look at the map above.

Q3.
A - 64% of adult males were landless does not mean the majority of population was landless. Again this information is about the 1830s (19th century).
B - in 1825 the population was 1900. Presumably the population in 18th century was even less.
C - Correct answer. Before 1834 (that means the 18th century also) they were forced to support local churches - "Massachusetts inaugurated a new era of religious pluralism in 1834, ending two centuries of mandatory support for local churches."
D - America's jubilee did not happen in the 18th century.
E - We know data about 1825 (19th century) not about 18th century.

BillyZ · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following was true of Concord’s economy in the 1840s?

(A) Manufacturing was a growing industry, overtaking farming in importance.
(B) The economy likely was stagnant or in decline relative to the previous decade.
(C) Land ownership among adult males was on the rise.
(D) The sale and consumption of alcohol declined sharply.
(E) The construction of new farmhouses and other farm buildings slowed.

The question mentions a specific timeframe:  the 1840s . The passage doesn’t specifically mention the 1840s, but does mention the 1830s, followed by things that happened later in time. Look through this information to find the answer.

(A) The second paragraph mentions that manufacturing was humming in the mid-1930s, but does not provide information to indicate that this continued into the 1940s, nor does the passage ever indicate that manufacturing was overtaking farming.

(B) CORRECT . The first sentence of the second paragraph says that by the mid-1830s, Concord was probably at its political and economic pinnacle. The pinnacle is, by definition, the peak. If the economic pinnacle was probably in the mid-1830s, then the economy was probably not even higher in the 1840s; it would be either the same (stagnant) or lower (in decline) relative to the 1830s.

(C) The third paragraph indicates that 64 percent of adult males were landless but does not indicate whether more or fewer were purchasing land in any timeframe.

(D) The third paragraph does mention a new zeal for temperance, but temperance means moderation; that is, alcohol is consumed but in moderation. Further, the passage doesn’t indicate how widespread this new zeal was; this choice goes to far in inferring that the sale and consumption declined sharply.

(E) The third paragraph indicates that people no longer cooperated freely to construct houses or other buildings; rather, help was hired to accomplish these tasks. The rate of such building is not mentioned in the passage.

BillyZ · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

1. The passage suggests which of the following about members of the village elite in post-1834 Concord?

A. Private associations had forced them to relinquish political power.
B. Politically, they were more in favor of religious pluralism than were non-elite citizens.
C. They ceased all Sabbath worship once religious pluralism became law in Massachusetts.
D. Many had abandoned the Unitarian and Calvinist churches in favor of non-church activities.
E. They utilized their wealth to found a growing number of diverse projects for the common good.

The year 1834 is mentioned in the last paragraph, so the correct answer will probably relate to information contained there.

(A) This choice directly contradicts the last line of the passage: “But even as they pulled back from customary roles and withdrew into private associations, they continued to exercise public power.”

(B) This choice is incorrect because the author does not mention which group in particular was the stronger supporter of the religious pluralism; she only mentions that “a slim majority approved the change.”

(C) This choice incorrectly asserts that Concord’s village elite ceased all Sabbath worship. While they no longer worshiped at the same church on Sabbath, they did not necessarily cease all Sabbath worship.

(D) CORRECT . The last paragraph states that after 1834, “townspeople deserted the two existing churches – the Unitarian flock of the Reverend Ripley and an orthodox Calvinist congregation founded in 1826 – in droves.” Instead, many became active in “diverse projects for the common good.” The village elite in particular "were remarkably active in these campaigns.” The passage thus suggests that the village elite abandoned the two existing churches in favor of non-church activities such as those mentioned: “libraries, lyceums, charitable and missionary groups, Masonic lodges, antislavery and temperance societies.”

(E) This choice claims that the elite used their wealth to found the diverse projects. While "diverse projects for the common good" is found verbatim in the passage, as well as the idea that the village elite “were remarkably active in these campaigns” there is no mention of whose private funds, if any, were used to found them.

Thelionking1234 · Answer

Official Explanation

5. The author mentions “modern capitalist arrangements” in the third paragraph primarily in order to

(A) Illustrate one aspect of a change in the town’s social structure
(B) Contrast with the old work customs used by most farmers of the time
(C) Establish the earliest development of commerce in the area
(D) Advocate a return to more old-fashioned customs
(E) Explain the fact that less than half of adult males owned land.

This is a Specific Detail question about a specific quote, so review the text around that quote. The ties that once joined neighbors together were fraying. On the farms, the old work customs by which people cooperated to complete essential chores gave way to modern capitalist arrangements. When men needed help, they hired it.

Why does the author mention modern capitalist arrangements? Likely to illustrate the main point of this paragraph: many people were left out of the prosperity as the town developed and as a small number of inhabitants built much greater wealth than the rest.

(A) CORRECT. The modern capitalist arrangements represented a change in the way that farmers and others interacted with one another.
  
(B) The beginning of the sentence does mention old work customs used by farmers, but the purpose is not merely to contrast the two. Rather, the sentence indicates that the older customs gave way to the modern capitalist arrangements. The author is noting that a change occurred because of changes in the overall social structure of the town.

(C) The town was already engaging in commerce, even though this commerce might not have involved modern capitalist arrangements. The previous paragraph discusses stores, shops, hotels, taverns, and so on.

(D) It is possible that some people might not have been happy with the development of these modern capitalist arrangements, but the author does not express an opinion, nor does the passage advocate anything.

(E) The passage does indicate that 64 percent of adult males were landless, but the change from older, cooperative customs to modern capitalist arrangements doesn’t explain or illustrate that fact.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

2. The primary purpose of this passage is to

Explanation

The question asks for the Purpose of the passage as a whole. Find a choice that accurately describes the passage in its entirety and does not focus on just one part of it.

(A)  The passage links political and economic development as simultaneous achievements, rather than saying that economic development led to political freedom; in fact, the concept of political freedom is not mentioned at all.

(B)  While the fourth paragraph does detail the community split that intensified after religious pluralism took hold, this split was already occurring as a result of the economic changes discussed in the third paragraph: The ties that once joined neighbors together were fraying. This choice is too narrow.

(C)  Although the passage does mention that social alienation was a result of the changes that occurred in the 19th century, the passage does not claim that this alienation was a necessary, or required, result. Rather, the passage merely explains that it was a result.

(D)  This choice incorrectly emphasizes Concord’s place in American history. The author only goes so far as to mention that Concord was a leading center of Middlesex County.

(E)  CORRECT.   The passage explains that Concord was probably at its political and economic pinnacle and then goes on to describe the impact on societal norms: old work customs and unified religious worship were replaced by a labor market and voluntary choice.

Answer: E

Concord staked its claim to be the birthplace of Independence during

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Concord staked its claim to be the birthplace of Independence during

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards