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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. How does Paine view the story of Eve and the apple?

2. Who does Paine think should be eligible to receive compensation for their disinheritance?

3. Which party did Washington belong to when he became the first president of the United States?

4. How does Paine describe the Resurrection?

5. Which years of the American Revolution did America have no government?

Short Essay Questions

1. What bold prediction does Paine make about the future of the monarchy and why?

2. What is the historical significance of the life of Jesus?

3. How does Paine define a revelation?

4. Does Paine think that a natural state and civilized state are exchangeable?

5. What question does Paine pose to Burke after a comment made by Burke during a speech in Canada?

6. How does Paine handle the responses to the Rights of Man by Burke and others?

7. What is Paine's writing style throughout Common Sense and his other collected works, and how will Paine be remembered?

8. How are all people born in a natural state, and what does Paine think the responsibility of a civilized state is?

9. What is the difference between democracy and representation?

10. What is the concept of land ownership and rent owned, and how does it compare to the approach to land that people had in ancient times?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe in detail why it was necessary for America to separate from England and declare its independence. Also, list and explain each of the reasons why England was not capable of governing America along with the benefits that the United States will have as a result of establishing their own country.

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)

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