Scribd
Upload
35 views3 pages

SAT Re

The document discusses how a fire in 1921 destroyed records from the 1890 U.S. census. This census contained expanded inquiries on topics like race, home ownership, and immigration. It also asked about Civil War service. Had these records survived, they would have provided unique information on industrialization, westward migration, and other characteristics of the American population in 1890. However, the records were completely lost due to the fire. It was not until the 20th century that the U.S. government became serious about preserving historical records.

Uploaded by

sathiyasuthan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
35 views3 pages

SAT Re

The document discusses how a fire in 1921 destroyed records from the 1890 U.S. census. This census contained expanded inquiries on topics like race, home ownership, and immigration. It also asked about Civil War service. Had these records survived, they would have provided unique information on industrialization, westward migration, and other characteristics of the American population in 1890. However, the records were completely lost due to the fire. It was not until the 20th century that the U.S. government became serious about preserving historical records.

Uploaded by

sathiyasuthan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

PART

1
SAT Reading
Comprehension
This page intentionally left blank
CHAPTER
1
Set  Questions
More than 150 years passed from the signing of the Declaration of
Independence to the establishment of the national archives. As a result,
priceless information was lost. Many documents were stolen or destroyed.
For example, a fire in 1921 consumed the records of the census taken in
1890. This census had differed from previous ones. For the first time, each 5
family received its own record. It contained expanded inquiries on race,
home ownership, the ability to speak English, immigration, and natural-
ization. It also included a question relating to Civil War service.
Had these records survived, we would have inimitable information on
these issues, as well as American industrialization, westward migration, 10
veteran services, and other characteristics of the American population at
that time.
The data would have been incredibly enlightening and useful in limit-
less applications—to historians, political scientists, and so on—but it is
now completely lost to history. 15
It is really quite remarkable that so many valuable records even exist
today. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the twentieth century that the govern-
ment became vigilant and proactive about the safety and preservation of
historical records.

1. As used in line 4, the word “consumed” most nearly means


(A) obsessive
(B) devoted
(C) extreme
(D) incinerated
(E) devoured

❮ 3

You might also like