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Quiz about Colonial Higher Education 16361769

Colonial Higher Education, 1636-1769 Quiz

Colleges were few, but they did exist in the British colonies. Let's see what they were up to!

A multiple-choice quiz by obiwan04. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
obiwan04

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
350,493

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
482

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page

Question 1 of 10

1. What was the name of the first college in the British colonies in North America (founded in 1636)? Hint

Yale College

New Haven College

Harvard College

Virginia Institute

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. The primary purpose for founding colleges in the colonial era was to train ministers. Of the nine major colleges founded, which one was NOT set up for this purpose? (Modern name) Hint

Princeton

Yale

University of Pennsylvania

Dartmouth

3. The Great Awakening of the 1730's and 1740's brought many conversions and many new churches, creating a need for more preachers. Which college was set up to train Presbyterian ministers? (Modern name) Hint

Princeton

William and Mary

Yale

Providence

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Higher education in the colonial period was not evenly distributed among the thirteen colonies. Of the nine colleges, how many were located in the South (Maryland to Georgia)? Hint

one

three

two

six

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Which statement is NOT true about what colonial college students studied? Hint

Students studied intensively Hebrew, Greek and Latin

Students studied practical subjects such as navigation and bookkeeping

Students were expected to be well versed in philosophy

Students studied theology one day a week: Saturdays

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Question 6 of 10

6. What kind of men did colleges throughout the colonies largely enroll? Hint

a surprisingly mixed student body of whites, blacks, and Native Americans

wealthy and/or academically gifted young white men

the best and brightest men and women, regardless or class or race

only men who wanted to enter the professions of law or medicine

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Question 7 of 10

7. The 1740's and 1750's saw all of these colleges being founded EXCEPT which of these? Hint

Princeton (College of New Jersey)

University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Academy)

Columbia (King's College)

College of William and Mary

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Queen's College, founded in New Jersey in 1766, is better known today as ...? Hint

Rutgers University

College of Newark

Fairleigh Dickinson

Drew University

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, how many were college graduates? Hint

Eighteen

All of the signees

One, John Witherspoon, who was the only minister among the signees.

Thirty-three

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Question 10 of 10

10. All of these Founding Fathers were college graduates EXCEPT ...? Hint

Alexander Hamilton

Benjamin Franklin

Thomas Jefferson

James Madison

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the name of the first college in the British colonies in North America (founded in 1636)?

Answer: Harvard College

Set up by the Puritans, Harvard was for the purpose of training new ministers. All Puritan ministers were expected to be college graduates.

2. The primary purpose for founding colleges in the colonial era was to train ministers. Of the nine major colleges founded, which one was NOT set up for this purpose? (Modern name)

Answer: University of Pennsylvania

By the time Penn was founded in the 1750's, colleges were being seen as providers of general education, not just religious training.

Answer: Princeton

Jonathan Edwards' son-in-law Aaron Burr, Sr. was the first president of the college, and when he died prematurely, Edwards was named to take his place but died before he could be inaugurated. Yes, Jonathan Edwards, the great preacher and theologian, was Aaron Burr, Jr.'s grandpa!

4. Higher education in the colonial period was not evenly distributed among the thirteen colonies. Of the nine colleges, how many were located in the South (Maryland to Georgia)?

Answer: one

William and Mary was the only Southern college, as wealthy Southerners preferred sending their sons back to England for higher education or to Northern colleges.

5. Which statement is NOT true about what colonial college students studied?

Answer: Students studied practical subjects such as navigation and bookkeeping

Theology in the classroom received relatively little attention. Graduates were expected to study with an established minister before they took to the pulpit; hence, there was no need for much undergraduate theological training.

6. What kind of men did colleges throughout the colonies largely enroll?

Answer: wealthy and/or academically gifted young white men

Higher education was education for the few. By the 1770's, Harvard had an average enrollment of 180, and most of the students came from privileged backgrounds.

7. The 1740's and 1750's saw all of these colleges being founded EXCEPT which of these?

Answer: College of William and Mary

Although Columbia had some intentions of training Anglican priests, it became primarily a secular college, and Penn, reflecting the Enlightenment values of one of its founders--Benjamin Franklin--was the first American college set up primarily for secular reasons.

8. Queen's College, founded in New Jersey in 1766, is better known today as ...?

Answer: Rutgers University

Needing new ministers for their denomination, the Dutch Reformed set up Queen's College for such purpose.

9. Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, how many were college graduates?

Answer: Eighteen

The fact that Witherspoon was the only minister among the signees but that seventeen more had college educations indicates that colleges were no longer seen as just training institutes for ministers but institutes for secular leadership as well.

10. All of these Founding Fathers were college graduates EXCEPT ...?

Answer: Benjamin Franklin

Franklin never had the opportunity to attend a college, and, evidently, given his many accomplishments, never needed "higher" education!

Source: Author obiwan04

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