What did society believe about the individual?

• A. Individuals cannot influence outcomes
• B. People are inherently evil
• C. People are mostly good and predictable
• D. Individuals are unpredictable and guided by fate

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is the belief about human nature and individual agency in the historical context of early 19th-century American thought. This era, especially Transcendentalism, emphasized that people are capable of discernment, virtue, and self-directed action. Writers like Emerson and Thoreau argued that individuals possess an inner moral sense and intuition that can guide choices and shape their lives and society, rather than being passive subjects of fate or corrupt institutions.

That explains why the statement that people are mostly good and predictable is the best fit. It reflects the optimism about human nature and the confidence in personal agency—that individuals can choose rightly, act with integrity, and influence outcomes through their own decisions.

The other views—seeing people as unable to influence outcomes, inherently evil, or guided by fate—contrast with this era’s confidence in free will, moral insight, and the power of the individual to effect change.