Thaddeus S. C. Lowe wanted to be the first person to fly in a balloon across the Atlantic Ocean. He had built his own balloon, called the Enterprise, but he knew he had to make an overland run to test wind currents before he attempted to sail across the ocean. He decided to start the test run in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then fly his balloon back to the East Coast. On April 19, 1861, the people of Cincinnati held a banquet in Lowe's honor. It was an exciting occasion. There was much discussion not only about Lowe and his flight but also about the growing problems between the North and the South. Earlier that month, rebels had fired on the Union garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. People wondered where the trouble would end. Later that evening, Lowe learned that the winds were right and the weather was perfect for balloon ascension. He decided to leave immediately. He ordered the balloon to be filled and began last­-minute preparations. At three o'clock on the morning of April 20, he stepped into the basket underneath the huge balloon and gave the signal to cast off. The Enterprise rose quickly into the sky. Lowe took instrument readings and made notes. The balloon rose to 15,000 feet—almost three miles above the earth. His calculations showed that he was traveling close to 100 miles per hour. On the horizon, Lowe saw the sky growing light. Far in the distance, he could see the Blue Ridge Mountains. As his balloon drifted gracefully over them, he realized that he was traveling more toward the southeast than true east. After floating for about nine hours, Lowe saw his goal in the distance—the Atlantic Ocean! He looked for a place to set down the balloon, but most of the land below was too marshy. Finally, he spotted a ridge onto which he dropped his balloon. Even before he landed, a small crowd had gathered. No one in the crowd made any effort to help him. He asked for some assistance to tie down the balloon. At first, no one moved. Then a tall woman grabbed one of the ropes and steadied the balloon as Lowe secured the other lines. The people in the crowd did not know what to think of a man who had dropped out of the sky. None of them had ever seen a balloon before. Lowe introduced himself as Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, balloonist, scientist, and inventor. He explained that he had flown from Cincinnati. Someone in the crowd called him a Yankee spy. The tall woman who had helped Lowe tie down the balloon took charge. She said that the crowd should take him to the county seat at Unionville. As a wagon was brought over to carry Lowe's gear, he asked where he was. The tall woman smiled. "This place is called Pea Ridge in South Carolina. And since you are a Northerner, you'd better consider yourself a prisoner of the Confederate States of America!" All of Lowe's equipment was loaded into the wagon, and the long, rough trip to Unionville began. They arrived late in the evening and took Lowe to an inn for the night. Someone in the town recognized Lowe and knew that he was a young scientist. The next morning, after a long talk with the town leaders, Lowe was released and put onto a train. A few days later, he was back in Cincinnati. Lowe never made his journey across the Atlantic Ocean, but he convinced President Abraham Lincoln to allow him to act as a spy for the Union army. Building a fleet of five airships, he used his balloons to float above enemy territory. From his position a thousand feet in the air, he could determine Confederate troop sizes and movements, which he communicated by telegraph with Union forces on the ground. Although the Confederates tried, they were never able to shoot down Lowe. He was the first person in history to use aeronautics to determine the strength and position of an enemy's forces. He and his staff in the Union army's Balloon Corps made an estimated 3,000 reconnaissance flights. Which pair of sentences states two main ideas in the passage?

Answer choices for the above question

Thaddeus S. C. Lowe was an inventor who wanted to sail a hot-­air balloon across the Atlantic Ocean. He never accomplished his goal, but he did become a soldier in the Union army.

Thaddeus S. C. Lowe was a young scientist who had a goal to become a spy for the North. His plans were almost ruined, but he was able to get away and fulfill his goal in the Union army after all.

Thaddeus S. C. Lowe took a hot­-air balloon ride that landed in South Carolina, where people thought he was a Union spy. He eventually used his ballooning skills to become an accomplished spy for the Union army.

Thaddeus S. C. Lowe liked floating in a hot­-air balloon, which confused people in South Carolina when he landed there one day. He convinced them he was just a scientist who wanted to help them defeat the Union army.