Question

Remember that the Farewell Address was published in newspapers for the general public. I believe it likely that you did not know much of the vocabulary in this document; likewise, I believe that most adults today would have a difficult time reading and understanding this. It is an interesting thing to consider as there was very little public education at the time. Do you think that the people who were alive in the 1700s were more intelligent than we are? Explain.

a) Yes, due to their exposure to complex language.
b) No, intelligence is not solely determined by vocabulary.

Answer 1

Intelligence cannot be solely measured by vocabulary or literacy levels; during the 1700s, education and printed materials were predominantly accessible only to the social elite. Increased literacy rates over time do not indicate a higher historical population intelligence.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering whether people in the 1700s were more intelligent than those today, it's important to recognize that intelligence should not be solely measured by vocabulary or literacy levels. At that time, the majority of the population had little access to education and printed materials were expensive, making advanced literacy a feature of the social elite. Historical figures like John Bunyan and the Framers of the Constitution indeed used complex language in their works, reflecting their education and social status, rather than a higher overall population intelligence. Overall literacy rates have dramatically increased since then, indicating that general intelligence was not fundamentally higher in the 1700s compared to today.