Until recently, it was thought that the Cherokee, a Native American tr

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 249, Date : 05-Aug-2019
 This post is a part of New Project RC Butler 2019 .  Click here for Details

Until recently, it was thought that the Cherokee,
a Native American tribe, were compelled to
assimilate Euro-American culture during the 1820s.
During that decade, it was supposed, White
 (5)  missionaries arrived and, together with their
part Cherokee intermediaries, imposed the benefits
of “civilization” on Cherokee tribes while the
United States government actively promoted
acculturalization by encouraging the Cherokee to
 (10)  switch from hunting to settled agriculture. This
view was based on the assumption that the end of a
Native American group’s economic and political
autonomy would automatically mean the end of its
cultural autonomy as well.

(15)  William G. McLoughlin has recently argued that
not only did Cherokee culture flourish during and
after the 1820s, but the Cherokee themselves
actively and continually reshaped their culture.
Missionaries did have a decisive impact during
 (20)  these years, he argues, but that impact was far
from what it was intended to be. The missionaries’
tendency to cater to the interests of an acculturating
part-Cherokee elite (who comprised the bulk of
their converts) at the expense of the more
 (25)  traditionalist full-Cherokee majority created great
intratribal tensions. As the elite initiated reforms
designed to legitimize their own and the Cherokee
Nation’s place in the new republic of the United
States, antimission Cherokee reacted by fostering
 (30)  revivals of traditional religious beliefs and
practices. However, these revivals did not,
according to McLoughlin, undermine the elitist
reforms, but supplemented them with popular,
traditionalist counterparts.

(35)  Traditionalist Cherokee did not reject the elitist
reforms outright, McLoughlin argues, simply
because they recognized that there was more than
one way to use the skills the missionaries could
provide them. As he quotes one group as saying,
 (40)  “We want our children to learn English so that the
White man cannot cheat us.” Many traditionalist
Cherokee welcomed the missionaries for another
reason: they perceived that it would be useful to
have White allies. In the end, McLoughlin asserts,
 (45)  most members of the Cherokee council, including
traditionalists, supported a move which preserved
many of the reforms of the part-Cherokee elite but
limited the activities and influence of the
missionaries and other White settlers. According to
 (50)  McLoughlin, the identity and culture that resulted
were distinctively Cherokee, yet reflected the larger
political and social setting in which they flourished.

Because his work concentrates on the nineteenth
century, McLoughlin unfortunately overlooks
 (55)  earlier sources of influence, such as
eighteenth-century White resident traders and
neighbors, thus obscuring the relative impact of the
missionaries of the 1820s in contributing to both
acculturalization and resistance to it among the
 (60)  Cherokee. However, McLoughlin is undoubtedly
correct in recognizing that culture is an ongoing
process rather than a static entity, and he has made
a significant contribution to our understanding of
how Cherokee culture changed while retaining its
 (65)  essential identity after confronting the missionaries.   1 
 B 
 1. Which one of the following best states the main idea of the passage?

(A) McLoughlin’s studies of the impact of missionaries on Cherokee culture during the 1820s are fundamentally flawed, since McLoughlin ignores the greater impact of White resident traders in the eighteenth century.
(B) Though his work is limited in perspective, McLoughlin is substantially correct that changes in the Cherokee culture in the 1820s were mediated by the Cherokee themselves rather than simply imposed by the missionaries.
(C) Although McLoughlin is correct in asserting that cultural changes among the Cherokee were autonomous and so not the result of the presence of missionaries, he overemphasizes the role of intratribal conflicts.
(D) McLoughlin has shown that Cherokee culture not only flourished during the 1820s, but that changes in Cherokee culture during this time developed naturally from elements already present in Cherokee culture.
(E) Although McLoughlin overlooks a number of relevant factors in Cherokee culture change in the 1820s, he convincingly demonstrates that these changes were fostered primarily by missionaries.

2 
 D 
 2. Which one of the following statements regarding the Cherokee council in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage?

(A) Members of the Cherokee council were elected democratically by the entire Cherokee Nation.
(B) In order for a policy to come into effect for the Cherokee Nation, it had to have been approved by a unanimous vote of the Cherokee council.
(C) Despite the fact that the Cherokee were dominated politically and economically by the United States in the 1820s, the Cherokee council was able to override policies set by the United States government.
(D) Though it did not have complete autonomy in governing the Cherokee Nation, it was able to set some policies affecting the activities of White people living in tribal areas.
(E) The proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee council were determined by the proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee population.

3 
 E 
 3. Which one of the following statements regarding the attitudes of traditionalist Cherokee toward the reforms that were instituted in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage?

(A) They supported the reforms merely as a way of placating the increasingly vocal acculturating elite.
(B) They thought that the reforms would lead to the destruction of traditional Cherokee culture but felt powerless to stop the reforms.
(C) They supported the reforms only because they thought that they were inevitable and it was better that the reforms appear to have been initiated by the Cherokee themselves.
(D) They believed that the reforms were a natural extension of already existing Cherokee traditions.
(E) They viewed the reforms as a means of preserving the Cherokee Nation and protecting it against exploitation.

4 
 C 
 4. According to the passage, McLoughlin cites which one of the following as a contributing factor in the revival of traditional religious beliefs among the Cherokee in the 1820s?

(A) Missionaries were gaining converts at an increasing rate as the 1820s progressed.
(B) The traditionalist Cherokee majority thought that most of the reforms initiated by the missionaries’ converts would corrupt Cherokee culture.
(C) Missionaries unintentionally created conflict among the Cherokee by favoring the interests of the acculturating elite at the expense of the more traditionalist majority.
(D) Traditionalist Cherokee recognized that only some of the reforms instituted by a small Cherokee elite would be beneficial to all Cherokee.
(E) A small group of Cherokee converted by missionaries attempted to institute reforms designed to acquire political supremacy for themselves in the Cherokee council.

5 
 D 
 5. Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously undermine McLoughlin’s account of the course of reform among the Cherokee during the 1820s?

(A) Traditionalist Cherokee gained control over the majority of seats on the Cherokee council during the 1820s.
(B) The United States government took an active interest in political and cultural developments within Native American tribes.
(C) The missionaries living among the Cherokee in the 1820s were strongly in favor of the cultural reforms initiated by the acculturating elite.
(D) Revivals of traditional Cherokee religious beliefs and practices began late in the eighteenth century, before the missionaries arrived.
(E) The acculturating Cherokee elite of the 1820s did not view the reforms they initiated as beneficial to all Cherokee.

6 
 B 
 6. It can be inferred from the author’s discussion of McLoughlin’s views that the author thinks that Cherokee acculturalization in the 1820s

(A) was reversed in the decades following the 1820s
(B) may have been part of an already-existing process of acculturalization
(C) could have been the result of earlier contacts with missionaries
(D) would not have occurred without the encouragement of the United States government
(E) was primarily a result of the influence of White traders living near the Cherokee

Source:   LSAT Official PrepTest 18   ( December 1992 ) 
 Difficulty Level:   650

surbhisinha · Answer

1. Which one of the following best states the main idea of the passage? 
(A) McLoughlin’s studies of the impact of missionaries on Cherokee culture during the 1820s are fundamentally flawed, since McLoughlin ignores the greater impact of White resident traders in the eighteenth century.;  incorrect as his studies may overlook earlier sources of influence but aren't fundamentally flawed. 
(B) Though his work is limited in perspective, McLoughlin is substantially correct that changes in the Cherokee culture in the 1820s were mediated by the Cherokee themselves rather than simply imposed by the missionaries.;  correct as "not only did Cherokee culture flourish during and after the 1820s, but the Cherokee themselves actively and continually reshaped their culture. Missionaries did have a decisive impact during these years, he argues, but that impact was far from what it was intended to be." 
(C) Although McLoughlin is correct in asserting that cultural changes among the Cherokee were autonomous and so not the result of the presence of missionaries, he overemphasizes the role of intratribal conflicts.;  incorrect as there was a slight influence of the missionaries and the white traders living in tha area. 
(D) McLoughlin has shown that Cherokee culture not only flourished during the 1820s, but that changes in Cherokee culture during this time developed naturally from elements already present in Cherokee culture.;  incorrect as this part of the passage, but not the main idea 
(E) Although McLoughlin overlooks a number of relevant factors in Cherokee culture change in the 1820s, he convincingly demonstrates that these changes were fostered primarily by missionaries.;  incorrect as he doesn't "overlooks a number of relevant factors in Cherokee culture change in the 1820s" but rather he overlooks the influences before the 1820s.

2. Which one of the following statements regarding the Cherokee council in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage? 
(A) Members of the Cherokee council were elected democratically by the entire Cherokee Nation.;  definitely incorrect 
(B) In order for a policy to come into effect for the Cherokee Nation, it had to have been approved by a unanimous vote of the Cherokee council.;  incorrect as no mention of a voting taking place. 
(C) Despite the fact that the Cherokee were dominated politically and economically by the United States in the 1820s, the Cherokee council was able to override policies set by the United States government.;  incorrect the Cherokee weren't politically and economically dominated by the US government. 
(D) Though it did not have complete autonomy in governing the Cherokee Nation, it was able to set some policies affecting the activities of White people living in tribal areas.;  correct because rest were incorrect by process of elimination 
(E) The proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee council were determined by the proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee population.;  incorrect as there is no mention of this in the passage

3. Which one of the following statements regarding the attitudes of traditionalist Cherokee toward the reforms that were instituted in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage? 
(A) They supported the reforms merely as a way of placating the increasingly vocal acculturating elite.;  incorrect as their intent was not to placate the acculturating elite. 
(B) They thought that the reforms would lead to the destruction of traditional Cherokee culture but felt powerless to stop the reforms.;  incorrect as the Cherokee did not feel powerless. 
(C) They supported the reforms only because they thought that they were inevitable and it was better that the reforms appear to have been initiated by the Cherokee themselves.;  incorrect as the reforms were not entirely initiated by the Cherokee's themselves and they participated in creating the reforms, the reforms were not being imposed on them. 
(D) They believed that the reforms were a natural extension of already existing Cherokee traditions.;  incorrect as they believed that "As the elite initiated reforms designed to legitimize their own" 
(E) They viewed the reforms as a means of preserving the Cherokee Nation and protecting it against exploitation.;  correct as "Traditionalist Cherokee did not reject the elitist reforms outright, McLoughlin argues, simply because they recognized that there was more than one way to use the skills the missionaries could provide them. As he quotes one group as saying, “We want our children to learn English so that the White man cannot cheat us.” Many traditionalist Cherokee welcomed the missionaries for another reason: they perceived that it would be useful to have White allies."

4. According to the passage, McLoughlin cites which one of the following as a contributing factor in the revival of traditional religious beliefs among the Cherokee in the 1820s? 
(A) Missionaries were gaining converts at an increasing rate as the 1820s progressed.;  factually incorrect 
(B) The traditionalist Cherokee majority thought that most of the reforms initiated by the missionaries’ converts would corrupt Cherokee culture.;  incorrect, they were welcoming the missionaries so that they may have White allies. 
(C) Missionaries unintentionally created conflict among the Cherokee by favoring the interests of the acculturating elite at the expense of the more traditionalist majority.;  correct as traditionalist thought not ALL reforms would be good for all Cherokee was not as a big a factor in reviving older, religious beliefs. But as the Elite initiated reforms that would legitimize Cherokee nation within the US construct, it increased the friction between them and traditionalists, which was not the intention of the missionaries.  
(D) Traditionalist Cherokee recognized that only some of the reforms instituted by a small Cherokee elite would be beneficial to all Cherokee.;  incorrect, as this was not the main reason for the revival of traditional religious beliefs. 
(E) A small group of Cherokee converted by missionaries attempted to institute reforms designed to acquire political supremacy for themselves in the Cherokee council.;  incorrect as it's not mentioned anywhere in the passage.

5. Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously undermine McLoughlin’s account of the course of reform among the Cherokee during the 1820s? 
(A) Traditionalist Cherokee gained control over the majority of seats on the Cherokee council during the 1820s.;  incorrect as it doesn't undermine the author's account 
(B) The United States government took an active interest in political and cultural developments within Native American tribes.;  incorrect as it doesn't undermine the author's account 
(C) The missionaries living among the Cherokee in the 1820s were strongly in favor of the cultural reforms initiated by the acculturating elite.;  incorrect as it doesn't undermine the author's account 
(D) Revivals of traditional Cherokee religious beliefs and practices began late in the eighteenth century, before the missionaries arrived.;  correct since " his work concentrates on the nineteenth century, McLoughlin unfortunately overlooks earlier sources of influence, such as eighteenth-century White resident traders and neighbors, thus obscuring the relative impact of the missionaries of the 1820s in contributing to both acculturalization and resistance to it among the Cherokee." 
(E) The acculturating Cherokee elite of the 1820s did not view the reforms they initiated as beneficial to all Cherokee.;  incorrect as it doesn't undermine the author's account rather supports his account.

6. It can be inferred from the author’s discussion of McLoughlin’s views that the author thinks that Cherokee acculturalization in the 1820s 
(A) was reversed in the decades following the 1820s;  incorrect as Cherokee acculturization thrived even after the 1820s 
(B) may have been part of an already-existing process of acculturalization;  correct as "but the Cherokee themselves actively and continually reshaped their culture." So the missionaries may have provide the push they required and also "Because his work concentrates on the nineteenth century, McLoughlin unfortunately overlooks earlier sources of influence, such as eighteenth-century White resident traders and neighbors, thus obscuring the relative impact of the missionaries of the 1820s in contributing to both acculturalization and resistance to it among the Cherokee." 
(C) could have been the result of earlier contacts with missionaries;  incorrect as it was already happening and missionaries came in the 1820s not before that. 
(D) would not have occurred without the encouragement of the United States government;  incorrect as missionaries were not sent by the US government 
(E) was primarily a result of the influence of White traders living near the Cherokee;  incorrect as it was also partially influenced by the missionaries in the 1820s.

Skywalker18 · Answer

All correct in 12 mins 30 seconds, including 5 mins 30 seconds to read.

Para 1- View until recently- Cherokee were compelled to assimilate Euro-American culture during the 1820s.
Para 2- McLoughlin- not only did Cherokee culture flourish during and after the 1820s, but the Cherokee themselves actively and continually reshaped their culture.
 part-Cherokee elite vs traditionalist full-Cherokee majority --> intratribal tensions
Para 3- Traditionalist Cherokee wanted to use the skills that missionaries could provide
Para 4- McLoughlin unfortunately overlooks earlier sources of influence

1. Which one of the following best states the main idea of the passage? 
(A) McLoughlin’s studies of the impact of missionaries on Cherokee culture during the 1820s are fundamentally flawed, since McLoughlin ignores the greater impact of White resident traders in the eighteenth century.- incorrect, McLoughlin’s studies are not fundamentally flawed but he does overlook earlier influences
(B) Though his work is limited in perspective, McLoughlin is substantially correct that changes in the Cherokee culture in the 1820s were mediated by the Cherokee themselves rather than simply imposed by the missionaries.- Correct
(C) Although McLoughlin is correct in asserting that cultural changes among the Cherokee were autonomous and so not the result of the presence of missionaries, he overemphasizes the role of intratribal conflicts.- incorrect, he does not overemphasize the role of intratribal conflicts, also we can't completely discount the presence of missionaries
(D) McLoughlin has shown that Cherokee culture not only flourished during the 1820s, but that changes in Cherokee culture during this time developed naturally from elements already present in Cherokee culture.- incorrect
(E) Although McLoughlin overlooks a number of relevant factors in Cherokee culture change in the 1820s, he convincingly demonstrates that these changes were fostered primarily by missionaries.
- incorrect, he does ignore the influence of earlier sources but the changes were shaped by Cherokee themselves

2. Which one of the following statements regarding the Cherokee council in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage?

(A) Members of the Cherokee council were elected democratically by the entire Cherokee Nation.- incorrect, how the councils were elected is not stated
(B) In order for a policy to come into effect for the Cherokee Nation, it had to have been approved by a unanimous vote of the Cherokee council.- incorrect
(C) Despite the fact that the Cherokee were dominated politically and economically by the United States in the 1820s, the Cherokee council was able to override policies set by the United States government.- incorrect
(D) Though it did not have complete autonomy in governing the Cherokee Nation, it was able to set some policies affecting the activities of White people living in tribal areas.- Correct
most members of the Cherokee council, including traditionalists, supported a move which preserved many of the reforms of the part-Cherokee elite but limited the activities and influence of the
missionaries and other White settlers. 
(E) The proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee council were determined by the proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee population.- incorrect, how the proportions on council were determined is not stated

3. Which one of the following statements regarding the attitudes of traditionalist Cherokee toward the reforms that were instituted in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage? 
(E) They viewed the reforms as a means of preserving the Cherokee Nation and protecting it against exploitation.
 “We want our children to learn English so that the White man cannot cheat us.” Many traditionalist Cherokee welcomed the missionaries for another reason: they perceived that it would be useful to have White allies.

4. According to the passage, McLoughlin cites which one of the following as a contributing factor in the revival of traditional religious beliefs among the Cherokee in the 1820s? 
(C) Missionaries unintentionally created conflict among the Cherokee by favoring the interests of the acculturating elite at the expense of the more traditionalist majority.- Correct
 The missionaries’ tendency to cater to the interests of an acculturating part-Cherokee elite (who comprised the bulk of their converts) at the expense of the more traditionalist full-Cherokee majority created great intratribal tensions. As the elite initiated reforms designed to legitimize their own and the Cherokee Nation’s place in the new republic of the United States, antimission Cherokee reacted by fostering revivals of traditional religious beliefs and practices.

5. Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously undermine McLoughlin’s account of the course of reform among the Cherokee during the 1820s? 
(D) Revivals of traditional Cherokee religious beliefs and practices began late in the eighteenth century, before the missionaries arrived.
As the elite initiated reforms designed to legitimize their own and the Cherokee Nation’s place in the new republic of the United States, antimission Cherokee reacted by fostering revivals of traditional religious beliefs and practices. 
McLoughlin unfortunately overlooks earlier sources of influence, such as eighteenth-century White resident traders and neighbors, thus obscuring the relative impact of the
missionaries of the 1820s in contributing to both acculturalization and resistance to it among the Cherokee.

6. It can be inferred from the author’s discussion of McLoughlin’s views that the author thinks that Cherokee acculturalization in the 1820s 
(B) may have been part of an already-existing process of acculturalization
McLoughlin unfortunately overlooks earlier sources of influence, such as eighteenth-century White resident traders and neighbors, thus obscuring the relative impact of the
missionaries of the 1820s in contributing to both acculturalization and resistance to it among the Cherokee.

Kanvi · Answer

HI
SajjadAhmad

Please provide oe for q 2 and 4

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. Which one of the following statements regarding the Cherokee council in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

Lines 44-49  show that the Cherokee council was able to regulate the activities of White people living on Cherokee land, while  lines 10-14  reveal that the Cherokee did not entirely govern their own affairs.

(A)  is beyond the scope of the passage, which doesn’t mention anything about how members of the council were chosen.

(B)  The phrase  “most   members of the Cherokee council” (line 45)  seems to suggest that unanimity wasn’t necessary for a policy to go into effect.

(C)  Au contraire.  Lines 10-14  suggest just the opposite.

(E) Lines 45-46  make it clear that the council consisted of both traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee, but the text doesn’t say whether the mix on the council reflected the mix among the general Cherokee populace.

Answer: D

4. According to the passage, McLoughlin cites which one of the following as a contributing factor in the revival of traditional religious beliefs among the Cherokee in the 1820s?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

Lines 21-26  say that the missionary  “tendency to cater to the interests of an acculturating...elite...at the expense of the more traditionalist...majority created great intratribal tensions.”  The result of these tensions, according to  lines 26-31 , was that traditionalist Cherokee revived traditional religious beliefs to counter the elite’s reforms.

(A)  For starters, the passage never says that the missionaries gained  “converts,”  just that an acculturating elite tended to approve of their influence on Cherokee society. Moreover, there’s nothing in the passage to suggest that the rate at which this elite grew increased as the 1820s progressed.

(B)  If the traditionalist majority felt that the reforms would corrupt Cherokee culture, then why did they ultimately accept them? The traditionalists thought that they could control the negative effects of missionary-inspired reforms, while using these reforms to the tribe’s advantage.

(D)  The use of the word  “many” (line 47)  suggests that traditionalists felt that more than just  “some”  of the reforms would be beneficial to the tribe in general.

(E)  Although the passage says that the  “elite initiated reforms...to legitimize their own”  status, it doesn’t suggest that this behavior manifested itself in an attempt to take political control of the Cherokee council.

Answer: C

Hope it helps

auradediligodo · Answer

Hi everyone,
Took 15:10 minutes and got all correct. Took 5:10 minutes to read, write down paragraphs summaries and main point.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P1 
Paragraph 1 introduces a generally believed idea about the foreign influence of the United States and the missionaries on the Cheerokees.
It is thought that Cheerokees were deeply influenced during the 1820's, resulting in changes such as switching from hunting to settled agriculture.
Plus it is believed that: end of economic/political autonomy=end of cultural autonomy

P2 
Paragraph 2 talks about Wiliam M's study. First thing the study revealed that the culture of Cherokee flourished and developed during 1820's. In addition the impact of missionaries was not significant as it was thought to be. The missionaries tried to influence a Cherokee's elite but this move created tension among the Cherokee's elite and the rest of population. The consequence was that the rest of the population (anti mission Cherokees) started performing traditional and religious rituals. Note that however these rituals were not in contrast with the elite's reforms.

P3 
Paragraph 3 explains the reasons why the revival of traditions and reforms was not in contrast with the elite's reforms.
The reason was that most of the Cherokees wanted to learn from the missionaries so that they would not be fooled by the white man in the future.
What the Cherokees did against the missionaries was only limiting their influence and their actions throughout their permanence.

P4 
Paragraph 4 talks about two things: the limitations of Wiliam M's study and the importance of his study.
The limitations are represented by the fact that William M overlooked influences before the 1820's such as traders....
The importance of his study is represented by #1 the identification of culture as an ongoing process and #2 the identification of the correct impact missionaries had on the Cherokees culture.

MP  
The main point is to discuss the influence of Missionaries on the Cherokee's culture trough the study of William M by highlighting its importance and its limitations

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 . Which one of the following best states the main idea of the passage?

Pre-thinking:
  Main point question 
Refer to main point above

(A) McLoughlin’s studies of the impact of missionaries on Cherokee culture during the 1820s are fundamentally flawed, since McLoughlin ignores the greater impact of White resident traders in the eighteenth century.
 The study is not fundamentally flawed. Hence incorrect

(B)   Though his work is limited in perspective, McLoughlin is substantially correct that changes in the Cherokee culture in the 1820s were mediated by the Cherokee themselves rather than simply imposed by the missionaries.
 In line with pre-thinking. Hence correct

(C) Although McLoughlin is correct in asserting that cultural changes among the Cherokee were autonomous and so not the result of the presence of missionaries, he overemphasizes the role of intratribal conflicts.
 He does not overemphasizes the role of intratribal conflicts. Hence incorrect

(D) McLoughlin has shown that Cherokee culture not only flourished during the 1820s, but that changes in Cherokee culture during this time developed naturally from elements already present in Cherokee culture.
 Incorrect.

(E) Although McLoughlin overlooks a number of relevant factors in Cherokee culture change in the 1820s, he convincingly demonstrates that these changes were fostered primarily by missionaries.
 Opposite. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 . Which one of the following statements regarding the Cherokee council in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage?

Pre-thinking:
  Inference question

Let's look at the answer choices

(A) Members of the Cherokee council were elected democratically by the entire Cherokee Nation.
  Cannot be inferred by the information given. Hence incorrect

(B) In order for a policy to come into effect for the Cherokee Nation, it had to have been approved by a unanimous vote of the Cherokee council.
 Cannot be inferred by the information given. Hence incorrect

(C) Despite the fact that the Cherokee were dominated politically and economically by the United States in the 1820s, the Cherokee council was able to override policies set by the United States government.
 Cannot be inferred by the information given. Hence incorrect

(D)   Though it did not have complete autonomy in governing the Cherokee Nation, it was able to set some policies affecting the activities of White people living 
in tribal areas.
 Correct. As mentioned in P3 "most members of the Cherokee council, including
traditionalists, supported a move which preserved
many of the reforms of the part-Cherokee elite but
limited the activities and influence of the
missionaries and other White settlers"

(E) The proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee council were determined by the proportions of traditionalist and acculturating Cherokee in the Cherokee population.
 Cannot be inferred by the information given. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 . Which one of the following statements regarding the attitudes of traditionalist Cherokee toward the reforms that were instituted in the 1820s can be inferred from the passage?

Pre-thinking:
  Inference question

According to P2 and P3 we know that traditionalists were not against those reforms since they wanted to "get to know the enemy" so that they would not be fooled in the future.
"In the end, McLoughlin asserts,
(45) most members of the Cherokee council, including
traditionalists, supported a move which preserved
many of the reforms of the part-Cherokee elite"

(A) They supported the reforms merely as a way of placating the increasingly vocal acculturating elite.
 "placating the increasingly vocal acculturating elite" was not the reason. Hence incorrect

(B) They thought that the reforms would lead to the destruction of traditional Cherokee culture but felt powerless to stop the reforms.
 Cannot be inferred form the information given. hence incorrect

(C) They supported the reforms only because they thought that they were inevitable and it was better that the reforms appear to have been initiated by the Cherokee themselves.
 Cannot be inferred form the information given. hence incorrect

(D) They believed that the reforms were a natural extension of already existing Cherokee traditions.
 Cannot be inferred form the information given. hence incorrect

(E)   They viewed the reforms as a means of preserving the Cherokee Nation and protecting it against exploitation.
 In line with pre-thinking. hence correct

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 . According to the passage, McLoughlin cites which one of the following as a contributing factor in the revival of traditional religious beliefs among the Cherokee in the 1820s?

Pre-thinking:
  Detail question.

Let's refer to P2. The reason was the presence of the missionaries

(A) Missionaries were gaining converts at an increasing rate as the 1820s progressed.
 Not mentioned. Hence incorrect

(B) The traditionalist Cherokee majority thought that most of the reforms initiated by the missionaries’ converts would corrupt Cherokee culture.

(C)   Missionaries unintentionally created conflict among the Cherokee by favoring the interests of the acculturating elite at the expense of the more traditionalist majority.
  mentioned. Hence correct

(D) Traditionalist Cherokee recognized that only some of the reforms instituted by a small Cherokee elite would be beneficial to all Cherokee.
 Not mentioned. Hence incorrect

(E) A small group of Cherokee converted by missionaries attempted to institute reforms designed to acquire political supremacy for themselves in the Cherokee council.
 Not mentioned. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5 . Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously undermine McLoughlin’s account of the course of reform among the Cherokee during the 1820s?

Pre-thinking:
  Weaken question

According to William M the reforms were inducted by the presence of missionaries. Anything that goes against this statement will weaken the argument.

(A) Traditionalist Cherokee gained control over the majority of seats on the Cherokee council during the 1820s.
 Irrelevant

(B) The United States government took an active interest in political and cultural developments within Native American tribes.
 Irrelevant

(C) The missionaries living among the Cherokee in the 1820s were strongly in favor of the cultural reforms initiated by the acculturating elite.
 Irrelevant

(D)   Revivals of traditional Cherokee religious beliefs and practices began late in the eighteenth century, before the missionaries arrived.
 In line with pre-thinking. Hence correct

(E) The acculturating Cherokee elite of the 1820s did not view the reforms they initiated as beneficial to all Cherokee.
 Irrelevant

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6 . It can be inferred from the author’s discussion of McLoughlin’s views that the author thinks that Cherokee acculturalization in the 1820s

Pre-thinking:
  Inference question

According to the last paragraph the acculturalization process is an ongoing state and not a static one

(A) was reversed in the decades following the 1820s
 Cannot be inferred. Hence incorrect

(B)   may have been part of an already-existing process of acculturalization
 Correct. It is discussed in the last paragraph that the study at hand might have overlooked previous influences coming from traders for example.

(C) could have been the result of earlier contacts with missionaries
 Cannot be inferred. Hence incorrect

(D) would not have occurred without the encouragement of the United States government
 Cannot be inferred. Hence incorrect

(E) was primarily a result of the influence of White traders living near the Cherokee
 Cannot be inferred. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's a good day to be alive, cheers!

VerbalBot · Answer

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.

Until recently, it was thought that the Cherokee, a Native American tr

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

Until recently, it was thought that the Cherokee, a Native American tr

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