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

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the name of Latimer's partner?

2. Which inventor was most often compared to Thomas Edison?

3. How old was Lewis hen his father left?

4. What was the former residence of the grandmother?

5. Which activity began to take up Banneker's free time?

Short Essay Questions

1. Norbert Rillieux was born to a wealthy French inventor. What invention did the father create? How did the father's education affect Norbert? Why was the decision made?

2. Explain how Woods taught himself to become an engineer.

3. Who was Benjamin Banneker? What was Banneker's contribution to the country?

4. When and where was Elijah McCoy born? What actions taken by McCoy's parents may have ensured McCoy's success?

5. The text claims that Banneker was born of unusual stock. What does that mean?

6. How did the public receive McCoy's inventions? What common phrase showed the industries' appreciation for McCoy's work?

7. Discuss Wood's first patent. What patent soon followed? How were Woods' patents connected?

8. Who is Granville T. Woods? To who is he often compared? What was Woods' field of study?

9. What activity did Banneker undertake when he was 41 years old? Why was the project important?

10. Discuss McCoy's education and training in the engineering field.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Several of the inventors in the book came from notable heritage. Explain the heritage of at least three of the inventors, how they were similar, and how the ancestry affected their ability to invent new products, techniques, and machines. Which inventor benefited most from his heritage? Which inventors saw little or no benefits? How did the inventors' education levels affect their ability to invent? What was the most common activity of the inventors after retirement?

Essay Topic 2

Benjamin Banneker was a unique man that lived in Colonial times. Why was Banneker considered to be different than other blacks at the time? Examine Banneker's fascination with clocks and watches. What do you think inspired Banneker's interest in mathematics? How did Banneker develop his passion for mathematics? What were Banneker's experiences involving clocks?

Essay Topic 3

Norbert Rillieux was deeply influenced by his father's intelligence and creative genius. Explore Rillieux's reason for attending school in Paris. Compare and contrast the education system in France to the system in the United States in the early 1800s and modern times.

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