#20 - Concept Reference, Weaken

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=11409)

The correct answer choice is (D)

McLoughlin’s argument is that the presence of the missionaries catalyzed the Cherokee to begin considering cultural/religious reforms and the acculturalization of the White settlers. To weaken this causal argument, find an answer choice that separates the cause (missionaries in the 1820s) from the effect (cultural and religious changes). Answer choice (D) does this nicely by showing that the religious revivals began before the missionaries arrived (effect without the cause).

[reop6780]

I accidentally got this one correct by excluding the rest of options but had no idea what to attack.

The correct answer describes "revivals" when the question asks to undermine account of the course of reform. As far as I understand, "revivals" emerged in tensions caused by reforms previously. I am not sure why description of "revivals" undermine or weaken account of the course of reform.

Revivals did not happen in the middle of reform, but rather as the aftermath of reforms conducted by elites.

I do not see what precisely I was supposed to weaken or attack for the course of reform.

[Jacques Lamothe]

Hey reop6780,

The passage does suggest that the traditionalist revivals occurred during the process of reform. In line 26, the author talks about the revivals as occurring when elites "initiated" the reforms. There is also mention of the revivals influencing the types of reforms in line 34. So McLoughlin does appear to be claiming that these revivals were a part of the reform process. Since this is the case, answer choice (D) weakens McLoughlin's account of reform by showing that his explanation of the revivals' cause is mistaken.

I hope this helps!

Jordan

[reop6780]

Yes, it does! Thank you!