Final answer:
The statement is true; the notion of separate spheres and the Cult of Domesticity helped the American middle class to set themselves apart and claim superiority over the working class through specific gender roles and a focus on the sanctity of the home.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that the notion of separate spheres and the Cult of Domesticity allowed the American middle class to distinguish themselves as separate from and superior to the working class is true.
The Cult of Domesticity, which prevailed in the 19th century, promulgated a set of beliefs about the nature of women's roles and the sanctity of the home.
This ideology supported the idea of separate spheres, in which men were expected to operate in the public domain (business, politics, etc.), while women were seen as keepers of the private sphere (the home, childcare, etc.).
These concepts were adopted predominantly by the middle and upper classes to establish social boundaries and assert their status over the working class, who often could not afford such division of labor due to economic necessity.