View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Buford's main concern?

2. What happens just before dawn when the battle is about to begin?

3. Why does Buford make his headquarters at the Seminary?

4. What does Lee want Longstreet to do in battle?

5. What is Reynolds bringing with him?

Short Essay Questions

1. From what is the book's title derived?

2. In "Wednesday, July 1, 1863, The First Day, Chapter 7, Buford," provides information on the dispute at Union headquarters. What is the nature of the controversy?

3. In "Monday, June 29, 1863, Chapter 1, The Spy," what is the mood of the Confederate army? Of the Union army?

4. How would you characterize Buford as a soldier?

5. In "Monday, June 29, 1863, Chapter 3, Buford," why does Buford have any hope of holding out against such a large opponent?

6. Describe how Longstreet appears to other soldiers.

7. In "Monday, June 29, 1863, Chapter 3, Buford," why does Buford have little faith that reinforcements will arrive in time?

8. In "Wednesday, July 1, 1863, The First Day, Chapter 3, Lee," what doubts does Lee have about some of his men that he tries to quiet within himself? What might this demonstrate about Lee?

9. How would you characterize the friendship between Kilrain and Chamberlain?

10. Why have the 120 men from the Second Maine mutinied?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In war, reputations may be made that stick with a person throughout the rest of their lives, fairly or unfairly. In The Killer Angels, the author mentions several times that Richard "Dick" Garnett had been called a coward by General Jackson, and though the label was unfair, Garnett has been unable to live it down. In contrast, Lee is such a beloved general that even when he uses a strategy at Gettysburg that is devastating to his troops, the soldiers will not blame him. Using support from the text, discuss how reputations are made in The Killer Angels and what those reputations may mean to the characters' lives in battle and beyond.

Essay Topic 2

Each of the section of The Killer Angels opens with a fragment from the song "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah."

1) What is the significance of these quoted fragments?

2) How do these fragments set up the action to follow?

3) Is the use of this song to frame the novel successful? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

As noted in The Killer Angels, each side of the war had a different opinion of the reason for that war.

1) What reason does each side give for the reason for the Civil War?

2) How can each side morally justify the war, given their reason for it?

3) Given the differing opinions on the reason for the war, do you think the war could have somehow been avoided altogether?

Make sure you support your ideas with citations from the text.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,131 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample