Were 8th graders smarter in 1895?

[VIDEO] Mr. Beat takes a test written in 1895 to illustrate its difficulty. It's supposed to prove how great the education system was near the end of the 19th century vs. how weak our education system is during the first two decades of the 21st.

A few things to bear in mind when watching this vid. Was this test really designed for 8th graders? Is this really a good test appropriate for anyone and any education level? Mr. Beat attempts to tackle both near the end of this over 6 minute video.

RELATED: 1954 8th Grade Civics Test