True or False: if false, choose the answer that best corrects the statement.
The United States made formal education mandatory (until age 16 or completion of 8th grade) in the 1890's.

• A. True.
• B. False; the United States made formal education mandatory in 1880.
• C. False; the United States made formal education mandatory in 1918.
• D. False; the United States made formal education mandatory in 1945.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the statement being evaluated: "The United States made formal education mandatory (until age 16 or completion of 8th grade) in the 1890's." This is a historical claim about when compulsory education laws were established in the U.S.
2. Step 2: Recall or research the history of compulsory education laws in the United States. These laws were not established uniformly across all states at the same time, but the movement toward mandatory schooling gained momentum in the early 20th century.
3. Step 3: Identify the generally accepted date when compulsory education laws became widespread in the U.S. Historical records show that by 1918, all states had passed laws requiring children to attend school until a certain age or grade level.
4. Step 4: Compare the given options with this historical fact. The statement about the 1890s is false because the nationwide mandate was not fully in place then. The correct correction is that the U.S. made formal education mandatory in 1918.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best answer is: "False; the United States made formal education mandatory in 1918." This reflects the period when compulsory education laws were effectively established across the country.