Historical Movements Quiz

What was the main goal of the prison reform movement in the 1800s?

• To make punishments more severe

• To improve conditions in prisons and treat inmates fairly

• To create more prisons across the country

• To stop all forms of imprisonment

Which of the following was a key issue that led to prison reforms?

• Overcrowded and unsanitary prisons

• A lack of criminals in the U.S.

• The increase in private prisons

• The expansion of the western frontier

Who was a major leader in the prison reform movement?

• Harriet Tubman

• Dorothea Dix

• Elizabeth Cady Stanton

• John Brown

In the 1800s, prison reformers believed that prisons should focus on:

• Punishment only

• Rehabilitation and education

• Making prisoners work for free

• Eliminating all laws

What was a major change in prisons due to reforms?

• The end of solitary confinement

• The separation of children from adult prisoners

• The banning of prison labor

• The abolition of the death penalty

Before prison reforms, debtors were often:

• Allowed to work off their debts

• Given jobs in government

• Sent to debtor’s prisons

• Released immediately

Which group was especially mistreated in prisons before reforms?

• Rich criminals

• Women and children

• Government officials

• Factory workers

What was a key argument of prison reformers?

• Prisoners could be rehabilitated rather than just punished

• Prisons should be abolished entirely

• Everyone should go to prison at some point

• Harsher conditions would stop crime

How did Dorothea Dix help prison reform?

• She exposed the poor conditions in prisons

• She worked as a prison guard

• She created new laws that banned all prisons

• She built the first prison in the U.S.

How were mentally ill prisoners treated before reforms?

• They were given medical care

• They were often locked away with criminals

• They were released into the public

• They were treated fairly