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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Pillar Number Five: Occupational Hierarchy: The Jatis and the Mudsill," how does Wilkerson say North Carolina prevented Blacks from achieving economic independence?

2. According to Wilkerson in "The Second Pillar: Heritability," what distinguishes "caste" from "class"?

3. On page 15, Wilkerson says of the old house that "whatever is lurking will fester." What is especially apt about her choice of the word "fester"?

4. On page 12, Wilkerson says that some contagions can only be managed with "vigilance." How is she proposing they should be managed?

5. What is the best definition of "endogamy" as used in "The Third Pillar: Endogamy and the Control of Marriage and Mating"?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Pillar Number Four: Purity versus Pollution," what claim does Wilkerson make about water, and how does she support her claim?

2. In "The Hierarchy of Trace Amounts: Griffes, Marabons, and Sangmelees," what are the words "Griffes, Marabons, and Sangmelees," and what point do they illustrate?

3. What explanation does Wilkerson give of the origins of caste in Hindu scriptures in "Pillar Number One: Divine Will and the Laws of Nature"?

4. In "'The Container We Have Built for You,'" how does "Miss" end up with her unusual first name?

5. For what reason does Wilkerson say that race is a social concept, not a biological one?

6. In "Pillar Number Six: Dehumanization and Stigma," what similarities does Wilkerson see between the treatment of Blacks in the time of slavery and Jews entering Nazi camps?

7. According to Wilkerson, how did slavery create the conditions for American stereotypes about Black people?

8. In "Pillar Number Two: Heritability," what difference does Wilkerson note between the way caste is inherited in India versus the way it was historically inherited in the U.S.?

9. In "An America Untouchable," what is the purpose of the many examples of historical writings?

10. According to "A Long-Running Play and the Emergence of Caste in America," what was the original justification for lifetime enslavement, and how did that justification need to change as circumstances changed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that defends, refutes, or qualifies the following claim: because of the systemic racism aimed at Native American peoples, they should be included in Wilkerson's discussion of the "lowest caste." Note: Unless you have a PhD in Native American history, you will need to make thorough use of high-quality sources on the subject as you make this argument. Use textual support to defend your claims, and be sure to cite all sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

On page 388, Wilkerson says "We are responsible for our own ignorance or, with time and openhearted enlightenment, our own wisdom. We are responsible for ourselves and our own deeds or misdeeds in our time and in our own space and will be judged accordingly by succeeding generations.” Write an essay in which you explain her meaning and in which you defend, refute, or qualify this statement. Offer textual support for your claims and cite any outside sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that defends, refutes, or qualifies the following claim: "In Caste: The Origins of our Discontents, Isabel Wilkerson is not arguing against social hierarchies but rather against assigning a place within the hierarchy based on race." Use textual evidence to support your argument; if you use outside sources, be sure to cite them in MLA format.

(see the answer keys)

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