What did Horace Mann mean by the great equalizer?

In his 1848 report Mann wrote that education is the great equalizer of the conditions of men. Students explain how common schools could work like the balance wheel in a watch.

How do you analyze a historical quotation?

Read the word help, then the context, then ask who the audience was and why the speaker chose those words. Both sheets follow this order.

8th Grade Analyzing a Quotation Worksheets

Ages 13-14 · Free previews · Print-ready PDFs

Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher

Analyzing a quotation means reading a speaker's words for their meaning, audience and context. There are 2 sheets for 8th grade here, each with an answer key. Frederick Douglass's 1852 Independence Day Speech and Horace Mann on Education as the Great Equalizer each give word help and context, then a chart of usual and intended meanings.

8th Grade Social Studies Sources, Data and Research Skills Analyzing a quotation Clear All

Frederick Douglass's 1852 Independence Day Speech

Grade8th Grade

TopicSources, Data and Research Skills

Horace Mann on Education as the Great Equalizer

Grade8th Grade

TopicSources, Data and Research Skills

More sources, data and research skills worksheets

Explore all of our 8th grade sources, data and research skills worksheets, covering reading a political cartoon, reading a primary source closely, fact, opinion and chronology, primary and secondary sources, and more.

Reading a political cartoon Reading a primary source closely Fact, opinion and chronology Primary and secondary sources Research from sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Douglass had escaped slavery, and he spoke to an audience celebrating a holiday he could not share. Students chart the meaning of words like sunlight and stripes and explain how he used the ideals of the Declaration.

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