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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 do the English people indicate with their silence?

2. What does Paine think about the idea of being a king through heredity?

3. What does Paine attribute his literary career to?

4. What does Paine wish America could have used against the British?

5. What are the decrees outlining the foundation for a new French government called?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the reasons Paine gives in support of America's Declaration of Independence?

2. Why does Paine think that America will succeed on its own?

3. How did Paine and Burke become enemies and what are Paine's concerns about Burke's pamphlet?

4. What mistake do the British make in attacking a particular city during the American Revolution?

5. How did the American army defeat General Howe?

6. What is the view of Gideon that Paine uses as an example?

7. How does the government of England increase its revenue through its disagreements with other countries?

8. What are the reasons Paine has in writing the Rights of Man and to whom is it presented?

9. Why does Paine consider the English monarchy to be ineffective?

10. What does Paine think that America will gain by separating from England?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Paine's reasons for delaying the release of the Rights of Man, Part II. Include an analysis of Burke's responses to the first part of the Rights of Man and how Paine replies to him and others who attempt to challenge his views.

Essay Topic 2

Paine writes about Agrarian Justice and the distribution of land in America.

1) Describe Paine's initial theory of how land should be given to people and why he believes it is impractical.

2) Explain how Paine considers land cultivation versus dispossession.

3) Analyze Paine's concluding plan for compensating people who he thinks have been cheated of their rightful inheritance.

Essay Topic 3

Paine criticizes the British government on a variety of levels.

1) Describe the positive and negative aspects of the Parliament.

2) Explain Paine's objections to the monarchy and the examples he uses to reveal its hypocritical absurdity.

3) Analyze the two parts of the English Constitution, why Paine believes it is ineffective, and his suggestions to update it.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 917 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample