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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. When American writers exaggerate the importance of a subject, de Tocqueville says it gets lost in what?

2. Where were the first colonies established?

3. What deals with the affairs of the people and is bound to be turbulent and uncertain?

4. The democratic writer assumes that man is what?

5. De Tocqueville believes that religion provides the people of America with a set of beliefs that does what?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the minority recognize the decision and rights of the majority in America, according to de Tocqueville's observations?

2. De Tocqueville believes that political parties are what to democratic societies?

3. According to the author, what is the reason free people obey laws?

4. The communities of New England set the foundation of a democratic society based on what?

5. What are some of the suggestions that equality makes to the beliefs of the American people?

6. Why does de Tocqueville believe that freedom of opinion is practically non-existent in the United States?

7. Where does the American writer find poetry, according to de Tocqueville's observations?

8. What is one of the drawbacks to de Tocqueville's view of the American approach to literature and poetry?

9. According to de Tocqueville, although the democratic writer might have less to write about, what is the level of importance of what he writes about?

10. What does equality among the people trigger, in addition to innovation, according to de Tocqueville?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

De Tocqueville presents many ways in which a democracy can protect itself from abuse. Why does de Tocqueville believe that a democracy will be abused, and what does he suggest as protection from that abuse? Use examples from the book to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

What is liberty? What is equality? How are the two ideas interlinked, and what does that mean for democracy? Please support your answer using examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Using examples from the book, what is the main role of an independent judiciary in a democracy? What is the main role of the judiciary in America? Are the two similar or different? Use the book to provide support for your answer.

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This section contains 598 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample