Morton’s racial theory linked cranial capacity to race and intelligence; which group did he claim was the smartest?

• A. White
• B. Black
• C. Asian
• D. Native American

Answer: (A)

Morton’s approach reflects a period when some scientists tried to justify social hierarchies by tying physical traits to intelligence. He measured skulls to estimate cranial capacity and argued that average brain size varied by race, with the largest averages belonging to White individuals. From that, he concluded they were the most intelligent. This line of thinking was used to promote racial rankings, but it rests on seriously flawed data and methods: biased and non-representative skull samples, measurement practices that can distort results, and the mistaken assumption that cranial capacity directly determines intelligence. Modern science rejects a simple link between brain size and intellect, and recognizes that race is not a precise biological category. So, while Morton concluded that White individuals were the smartest based on cranial capacity, this reflects historical scientific racism rather than valid evidence.