The extension of the right to vote to poor white men could have posed a threat to the power of the dominant elite. How did the elite reduce that threat?
A) They threatened to raise taxes if poor whites voted against them.
B) They made free land, or homesteads, available to poor whites in most states.
C) They attempted to create solidarity among whites by emphasizing racial divisions between blacks and whites.
D) They supported public education in the belief that an educated electorate would keep the "better sort" in power.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dominant elite reduced the threat of the extension of the right to vote to poor white men by attempting to create solidarity among whites by emphasizing racial divisions between blacks and whites. By creating a sense of racial superiority among poor whites, the elite hoped to divert their attention from economic issues and prevent them from uniting with black voters against the elite's power.

The Extension of the Right to Vote to Poor White