How has American education changed in the last 100 years?

While critics often debate the nature of rigor in schools (“they demanded more back when I was in high school”) check out the questions on this examination, required for graduation from eighth grade in Kentucky schools back in 1912:

KYExam1912

Ok, come on now. No Googling. Name the commander of the last battle of the War of 1812. [Examination via]

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Daniel Luzer is the news editor at Governing Magazine and former web editor of the Washington Monthly. Find him on Twitter: @Daniel_Luzer