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

2. Instead of being driven by man, events--according to a democratic writer--are driven by what?

3. To an American writer, the individuals and events are related how?

4. De Tocqueville believes that there must be complete freedom of what?

5. To a democratic writer, truth cannot emanate from a human simply because the human does what?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Although religion remains out of the realm of politics according to de Tocqueville's observations, what political effect does religion have?

3. After the American Revolutionary war, the government defined, very precisely, the powers that belonged to whom?

4. Before the American Revolution, what were the two great political parties in the United States and what were their aims?

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

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

7. On what single principle does democracy, as a political system, rely?

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

9. What, according to the author, are some of the downsides of democracy?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using examples from the book, what are the differences between an aristocratic regime and a democratic regime in terms of governance? Which one does de Tocqueville think is more effective at governing and why?

Essay Topic 2

Using examples from the book, what is tyranny, and how does democracy fight it?

Essay Topic 3

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.

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