View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did Massachusetts support that angered Thoreau in 'A Plea for Captain John Brown'?
(a) John Brown.
(b) The Free Trade Compromise.
(c) The Federal Government.
(d) The Nebraska-Kansas Act.

2. What did Thoreau think should be made illegal in Massachusetts?
(a) Slavery.
(b) Returning slaves to their rightful owners.
(c) Printing without permission.
(d) Objecting the popular opinion.

3. What kind of U.S. territories was Brown most interested in serving in?
(a) Slave states.
(b) Free states.
(c) New territories.
(d) Original colonies.

4. How did Brown come to have a trial?
(a) He turned himself in.
(b) He was captured.
(c) He was wounded.
(d) He was betrayed.

5. What animal did Thoreau say he was like when he went walking?
(a) A camel.
(b) A dog.
(c) A deer.
(d) A bear.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did Thoreau feel about Brown's actions?

2. What does Thoreau think justifies violent force?

3. Who did Thoreau invite to be a citizen with him?

4. What did Thoreau say Nature would reveal to man?

5. In 'A Plea for Captain John Brown', who did Thoreau say the newspapers were serving?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Thoreau say about society's idea of improvement?

2. How did Thoreau feel about the violence Brown used, and why?

3. Why was Thoreau free to go wherever he wanted on his daily walks?

4. Why did Thoreau think Massachusetts was hypocritical?

5. What did Thoreau say his walking was a metaphor of?

6. What did Thoreau say were the dangers of cultivation in 'Walking'?

7. How did Thoreau show his ideal relationship between man and nature?

8. What did Thoreau say about American's gravitating toward the West?

9. Who did Thoreau compare Brown to in 'A Plea for Captain John Brown' and why?

10. What was Thoreau pleading for in 'A Plea for Captain John Brown'?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 650 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample