In the mid 1800:s the americans were massively more literate than e.g. english (something like 80% compared to 50%?)
If you compare the US figure for 1870 with the UK figure for 1820, perhaps, but in an era where both nations are noted to have seen significant rises in literacy that seems a tad unfair...
In 1870 the figures were 80% and 76% respectively[1], hardly a "massive" difference and I'm not aware of any evidence or even arguments to the effect that US levels of literacy rose earlier or faster.
The US certainly was exceptional in the mid 1800s in still having opportunities to stake out unclaimed fertile land, perhaps a more attractive route to prosperity than labouring in a British mill but then again until the 1860a it was also unusual in having a significant proportion of its population having no social mobility whatsoever on account of being slaves...
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If you compare the US figure for 1870 with the UK figure for 1820, perhaps, but in an era where both nations are noted to have seen significant rises in literacy that seems a tad unfair...
In 1870 the figures were 80% and 76% respectively[1], hardly a "massive" difference and I'm not aware of any evidence or even arguments to the effect that US levels of literacy rose earlier or faster.
The US certainly was exceptional in the mid 1800s in still having opportunities to stake out unclaimed fertile land, perhaps a more attractive route to prosperity than labouring in a British mill but then again until the 1860a it was also unusual in having a significant proportion of its population having no social mobility whatsoever on account of being slaves...
[1]http://ourworldindata.org/data/education-knowledge/literacy/