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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 result to Richard Daley from the unusual circumstance of Clarence Wagner dropping out of the contest for Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Central Committee?

2. What was Richard Daley able to accomplish with the additional funding that the Republican Governor of Illinois granted to Chicago in 1956?

3. What was the result of Richard Daley's hard work with the Democratic Central Committee?

4. What past time of Joe McDonough helped Richard Daley earn political status and why?

5. What would Richard Daley do if he discovered one of his married, Catholic appointees was having an affair?

Short Essay Questions

1. What infamous Chicago event took place in 1919 the day after Richard Daley graduated from his post-high school training and why was it important to Daley's story?

2. What event caused violence to increase during protests against Chicago's segregation?

3. How did Richard Daley become a candidate for Mayor of Chicago?

4. Why did the grand jury report on the Black Panther shootings cause problems for Daley's administration?

5. How did Chicago's city government conspire to segregate neighborhoods?

6. What effort was taken to prove that Chicago was rigidly segregated and what was the result?

7. What did Richard Daley's 1971 election victory mean for political observers around the country?

8. What was Richard Daley's strategy regarding dirty campaigning?

9. In earlier times how would a ward committeeman coerce immigrants to vote for Democrats?

10. Who was Mike Royko and what was his interest in Richard Daley?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Richard Daley's control over the Machine has been credited with providing the votes that helped John F. Kennedy defeat Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election. If this is so it not only dramatically changed history, but it also showed that the American electoral system was corrupted by political influences. Take one of three subjects for a three paragraph essay:

1. How would the country have been different if Richard Daley's Machine was not involved in the 1960 election and Richard Nixon had become president?

2. What are the consequences to the country if a metropolitan mayor can determine who becomes president? Are there any benefits? What are they? What are the damages to democracy that is posed by such a situation?

3. What are the threats to justice and liberty if elections can be manipulated by powerful individuals? How can such power be confronted?

Essay Topic 2

Based upon what your read in "Boss: Richard J. Daley of Chicago," do you consider the goals of the Chicago desegregation movement to be for political power or for social access? Write an expository essay detailing your position. Use at least three examples from the book that support your view.

Essay Topic 3

How many timely deaths opened up a political office for Richard Daley to occupy? In the corrupt environment of the Chicago Democratic Party, were those deaths in Daley's background good or bad for his reputation as he became Chairman of the Cook County Central Committee? Support your position with information from the book. What other facts from his background made him a useful leader for the Cook County Central Committee? Why did you choose the facts that you did? What influence did Daley's personal history and reputation have on the Machine?

(see the answer keys)

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