Question

the reason the gold standard was never a practical reality prior to the 1850s was, in part, due to the fact that
select one:
a. prior to that time silver held a greater value than gold
b. none of the above
c. prior to that time there was no means of calculating the value of gold
d. prior to that time there was not enough gold to have a gold standard

the text presents america’s penchant for building large accommodating prisons in the 19th century with its parallel penchant for
select one:
a. utopianism
b. calvinistic predestination
c. puritanical stringency
d. armenian free will

Explanation:

First Question (Gold Standard)

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option a: Silver's value relative to gold isn't the main reason the gold standard wasn't practical before the 1850s.
• Option c: Calculating gold's value was possible, so this is incorrect.
• Option d: Before the 1850s, there wasn't enough gold to support a gold standard, which is a key reason it wasn't practical.
• Option b is incorrect as option d is valid.

Analyzing the options:

• Option a: Utopianism involves idealistic social reform, and 19th - century America's prison - building (seeking idealized solutions for crime/punishment) aligns with utopianism.
• Option b: Calvinistic predestination is about divine foreordination, not related to prison - building.
• Option c: Puritanical stringency is about strict moral codes, not directly related to prison - building motives.
• Option d: Armenian free will is not related to American prison - building in the 19th century.

Answer:

d. Prior to that time there was not enough gold to have a gold standard

Second Question (Prisons and American Penchant)