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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What class, in America, will eventually gain the upper hand in their struggles?
(a) The scholarly class.
(b) The poor class.
(c) The working class.
(d) The aristocratic class.

2. In what country is every aspect of society in constant movement?
(a) America.
(b) France.
(c) Europe.
(d) England.

3. Who is considered a member of the aristocratic class in America?
(a) Masters of agricultural wealth.
(b) Old families with bloodlines to the American Revolution.
(c) Masters of industrial wealth.
(d) Elder statesmen and their families.

4. The very poor and very rich are in what group in America?
(a) The minority.
(b) The majority.
(c) The farmers.
(d) The industrious.

5. Political associations bring together whom?
(a) The feelings and opinions of men.
(b) The electorate.
(c) The feelings and opinion of the voters.
(d) The political elite.

6. As democratic governments evolve, they have a tendency to become what?
(a) More centralized.
(b) More powerful.
(c) More despotic.
(d) More decentralized.

7. Who does de Tocqueville believe seeks exclusive comfort?
(a) Aristocrats.
(b) Americans.
(c) Political elite.
(d) The wealthy.

8. Democratic countries do not want revolution or ______, in de Tocqueville's beliefs?
(a) Colonization.
(b) War.
(c) Peace.
(d) Conquest.

9. What arm of the government, even in a democracy, tends to seek out war in de Tocqueville's observations?
(a) Executive branch.
(b) Political elite.
(c) Legislative branch.
(d) Military.

10. What alone, according to de Tocqueville, is not a strong enough criterion to elevate an individual over the others?
(a) Wealth.
(b) Strength.
(c) Intelligence.
(d) Ability.

11. "A priori" means what?
(a) Knowledge without actual experience.
(b) The first knowledge.
(c) Knowledge from first-hand experience.
(d) Knowledge derived from a moral source.

12. Civil associations are often born out of what?
(a) Multi-state political associations.
(b) State-level political associations.
(c) Local political associations.
(d) National political associations.

13. De Tocqueville believes that the nations of his time cannot prevent the conditions of men from becoming _________________.
(a) Equal.
(b) Varied.
(c) Different.
(d) Similar.

14. What type of government does de Tocqueville say is "lurking behind every corner" for most citizens of the United States, assuming democracy failed?
(a) Aristocracy.
(b) Republic.
(c) Anarchy.
(d) Monarchy.

15. In America, what did people have before they had equality of conditions?
(a) Freedom of association.
(b) Right of association.
(c) Freedom.
(d) Liberty.

Short Answer Questions

1. The threat of a despotic government is greater in democratic societies because the power of the government is what, according to de Tocqueville?

2. According to de Tocqueville, when men seek more equality and comfort, what do they tend to become?

3. The army of a democratic country is equated, by deTocqueville, to what?

4. De Tocqueville observes that in times of peace, the quality of a military in a democracy does what?

5. What did the American people write?

(see the answer keys)

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