As the United States demonstrated during its early development, it is not enough for citizens simply to have the rights; the successful functioning of a democracy requires that they also know how to exercise those rights. Access to formal education was one necessary component that helped the U.S. citizenry to learn how to exercise its rights. Therefore, in order for a democracy to function successfully, its citizens must have access to a formal education.

The author develops the argument by

A) using an analogy to establish a precedent for planned future event

B) illustrating differences in the requirements for the functioning of a democracy depending upon the democracy in question

C) introducing an example that illustrates a common principle

D) forming a hypothesis that explains apparently contradictory pieces of evidence

E) supplying an alternative explanation for a known phenomenon

The OA is C