Which statement correctly matches Birth of a Nation and its impact?

• A. It revived the Ku Klux Klan.
• B. It introduced the first close-up shot.
• C. It was directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
• D. It was produced by The Squaw Man's production company.

Answer: (A)

The impact to focus on is how Birth of a Nation helped revive and spread the Ku Klux Klan in the 1910s. This 1915 silent epic, directed by D. W. Griffith, used a powerful combination of dramatic storytelling and broad audiences to shape public perceptions. Its portrayal of Reconstruction era politics and Black characters, paired with concerted promotional campaigns, presented white supremacy as heroic and lawful, which many audiences and organizers seized on to recruit and mobilize. The result was a renewed, nationwide visibility for the KKK that lasted for years and influenced public discourse around race in America.

This is the best answer because it aligns with the film’s well-documented historical effect on real-world social and political movements. The other statements don’t fit the film’s history: close-up shots existed before this film, so it didn’t introduce the first close-up; the director was not Cecil B. DeMille; and it wasn’t produced by The Squaw Man’s production company.