Final answer:
The rapid growth in literacy in the nineteenth century facilitated the rise of the middle class by weakening the literate elite's control over education and allowing broader access to knowledge. This period's educational reforms and the establishment of public schools and professional training institutions were key to these societal changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Literacy and the Middle Class
The sharp increase in literacy during the nineteenth century broke the monopoly of the literate elite on education and learning, bolstering the emerging middle class. This period saw a significant rise in global literacy rates, from just 19% in 1870 to 87% by 2020, with advancements in education propelling these changes. Public schools tripled in attendance, and the number of high schools exploded from one hundred to over six thousand by 1900. Additionally, mass secular free education in places like France unified national cultures and promoted literacy. Meanwhile, college curricula evolved to prepare students for the modern work world, with professional schools emerging for medicine, law, and business. The rise in literacy also led to changes in cultural venues like theatre, reflecting the societal shift from noble class dominance to the prominence of the 'self-made' middle class.