Grade 9 United States History II: Reconstruction to Present
Student Assessment
Student Directions: Read the passage below
Background Information
Ida M. Tarbell became one of the leading reformer journalists, challenging monopoly practices in American
industry during the Progressive Era (1900-1918). Through detailed investigative reporting and harsh
critiques, Tarbell helped to expose corruption in business and political lawlessness. She proved that
monopolist John D. Rockefeller of the Standard Oil Company used unethical business tactics while
exploiting his workers. As a result of her efforts, the federal government conducted an investigation of the
Standard Oil Company which led to the eventual breakup of the trust into smaller components. Tarbell’s
magazine series “The History of the Standard Oil Company,” not only changed the history of journalism, but
also resulted in litigation that had a lasting impact.
In spite of her accomplishments as a woman working at the turn of the century, Tarbell opposed the pleas
of the women’s suffragettes because they contradicted her own convictions about the role of women.
Tarbell argued that traditional female roles had been belittled by women’s rights advocates and that
women’s contributions belonged in the private sphere.
______________
Source: Excerpt from “Ida Tarbell: Life and Works.” Retrieved July 2013 from the Allegheny College
website http://tarbell.allegheny.edu/index.html
“Ida Tarbell” Biography. Retrieved July 2013 from PBS: The American Experience website
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/rockefellers-tarbell/
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Step 2: Text Reading and Analysis
Directions: For this assessment, you will read two texts and use a political cartoon that provides
perspectives on the views of Ida Tarbell in comparison with views of women’s suffragists. As you are
reading, think about the following question:
Considering the beliefs and goals of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, how might Tarbell’s position
conflict with those of the Women’s Movement leaders?
Text 1: A Statement by Susan B. Anthony
__________
Source: “A signed and dated one page statement on the current state of equal rights for women.”
Retrieved July 2015 from the Gilder Lehrman Foundation website
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/t-07337.pdf
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Text 2: “Looking Backward” (1912) by Laura E. Foster
__________
Source: “Looking Backward” by Laura E. Foster, Library of Congress
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Text 3: Excerpt from “All in the Day’s Work: An Autobiography” by Ida M. Tarbell
I had been disturbed for some time by what seemed to me the calculated belittling of the past
achievements of women by many active in the campaign for suffrage. They agreed with their opponents
that women had shown little or no creative power. That, they argued, was because man had purposely and
jealously excluded her from his field of action. The argument was intended, of course, to arouse women’s
indignation, stir them to action. It seemed to me rather to throw doubt on her creative capacity. Power to
create breaks all barriers. Women had demonstrated this, I believed, again and again while carrying on
what I as an observer of society was coming to regard as the most delicate, complex, and essential of all
creative tasks – the making of home. There was the field of invention. At the moment it was being said in
print and on the platform that, in all the history of the Patent Office, women had taken out only some three
hundred patents.
I had seen so much of women’s ingenuity on the farm and in the kitchen that I questioned the figures; and
so I went to see, feeling very important if scared at my rashness in daring to penetrate a government
department and interview its head. I was able to put my finger at once on over 2000 patents, enough to
convince me that, man-made or not, if a woman had a good idea and the gumption to seek a patent she
had the same chance as a man to get one. This was confirmed by the correspondence with two or three
women who at the time were taking out patents regularly.
__________
Source: Excerpt from “All in the Day’s Work: An Autobiography” by Ida Minerva Tarbell. University of
Illinois Press, 1939.
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Respond to Selected Response Questions
Read the Background Information to answer the following questions:
1. Which of the following statements best support the author’s claim that “Ida M. Tarbell became one
of the leading reformer journalists…”
A. She proved that monopolist John D. Rockefeller of the Standard Oil Company used unethical
business tactics while exploiting his workers.
B. “Tarbell’s magazine series “The History of the Standard Oil Company,” not only changed the
history of journalism, but also resulted in litigation that had a lasting impact.”
C. As a result of her efforts, the federal government conducted an investigation of the Standard
Oil Company which led to the eventual breakup of the trust into smaller components.
D. Through detailed investigative reporting and harsh critiques, Tarbell helped to expose
corruption in business and political lawlessness.
2. Which of the following statements from the background information best summarizes Ida Tarbell’s
claim regarding women and the suffrage movement?
A.
Tarbell argued that traditional female roles had been belittled by women’s rights advocates
and that women’s contributions belonged in the private sphere.”
B.
She proved that monopolist John D. Rockefeller of the Standard Oil Company used
unethical business tactics while exploiting his workers.
C.
Ida M. Tarbell became one of the leading reformer journalists, challenging monopoly
practices in American industry during the Progressive Era (1900-1918).
D.
In spite of her accomplishments as a woman working at the turn of the century, Tarbell
opposed the pleas of the women’s suffragettes because they contradicted her own
convictions about the role of women.
Read Text 1: “A signed and dated statement…” to answer the following questions:
3. Part A: Which of the following best characterizes the perspective of Susan B. Anthony in this
statement?
A. Women should not have certain privileges that men are given.
B. Women’s equality had improved in some areas but was still lacking in others.
C. The women’s equality movement was a triumphant success having achieved all its goals.
D. The women’s equality movement was a failure and would not be pursued any further.
4. Part B: Which key ideas and details from the statement best illustrate Anthony’s perspective?
A. “The one purpose of my life has been the establishment of perfect Equality…”
B. “civil and political--industrial and educational”
C. “equal chances to work--but not equal pay”
D. “hope and work in faith till the end”
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5. In Susan B. Anthony’s statement, she says “the one purpose of my life has been the
establishment of perfect Equality of rights for women....”
Which of the following statements best explains how Susan B. Anthony and women’s suffrage
leaders viewed “perfect Equality of rights for women?”
A. Women should not work outside of the home.
B. Women should be allowed to fulfill the same civil and political roles in society as men.
C. Women should receive a salary for their work, even if it is less than the pay of the men in their
position with the same qualifications.
D. Women should have the right in at least half of the states.
Examine Text 2: “Looking Backward” to answer the following questions:
6. Part A: Which of the following best explains the point of view expressed in this cartoon?
A. a woman’s happiness is found in the home rather than public fame
B. women should seek a career in politics.
C. women are able to make more meaningful accomplishments in the workplace.
D. marriage is not an essential component of a woman’s happiness.
7. Part B: Which of the following details from the cartoon best illustrates the point of view?
A. the medal of fame at the top level and the plant the medal contains.
B. cracks in each of the stairs at the levels of professional triumph and suffrage.
C. the words that describe the life of the woman after she achieves artistic success.
D. children and flowers pictured on level of home; unhappy woman pictured at level of fame
Read Text 3: Excerpt from “All in the Day’s Work: An Autobiography” by Ida M. Tarbell
to answer the following questions:
8. Part A: What claim by the opposition is refuted by Tarbell in this excerpt from her autobiography?
A. Women’s suffragists argued that women had proven themselves to be more creative than men.
B. Men in leadership positions believed women to be better suited for work in the arts.
C. Men and women both had equal roles to play in rebuilding the economy.
D. Women’s suffragists and their opponents agreed that women had shown little or no creative
thought.
9. Part B: What evidence does Tarbell present in this passage to refute the claim in Part A? RI.9-10.1
A. “I had been disturbed for some time by what seemed to me the calculated belittling of the past
achievements of women...”
B. “I was able to put my finger at once on over 2000 patents…”
C. “Power to create breaks all barriers.”
D. “At the moment it was being said in print and on the platform that, in all the history of the
Patent Office, women had taken out only some three hundred patents.”
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On a separate sheet of paper, write an essay to answer the question:
Considering the beliefs and goals of the Women’s Suffrage Movement,
how might Tarbell’s position conflict with those of the Women’s Movement
leaders? Consider the argument each author used to demonstrate Tarbell’s
position on women’s suffrage and analyze the strength of the arguments.
• Use evidence from at least two of the provided texts to support your
response. (Summary/Analysis)
• Be sure to include an explanation of the specific claims each text makes
and cite evidence to support your answer. (Claim and Key Ideas/Details)
• Be sure to use persuasive elements such as word choice to strengthen
the ideas that you express to make your argument.
• Write your five-paragraph essay on the provided answer sheet.
Introduction (Thesis Paragraph 1)
Body Paragraph (2)
Body Paragraph (3)
Body Paragraph (4)
Conclusion
To guide your answer, please consult the Social Studies
Research Simulation Assessment Task Rubric.
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