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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. Political associations bring together whom?

2. Civil associations are often born out of what?

3. "A priori" means what?

4. What class, in America, will eventually gain the upper hand in their struggles?

5. De Tocqueville believes that there is unlikely to be a ______________ in the United States.

Short Essay Questions

1. According to de Tocqueville, within their own country, how do Americans tend to behave toward each other?

2. What is the major difference between the classic aristocrat and the new aristocrat in America according to de Tocqueville?

3. What is one of the civil effects of the American society?

4. In de Tocqueville's observations, how do Americans act when they meet with strangers outside their borders?

5. Why does the military, even in a democratic society, tend to seek war?

6. What is the only great inequality that de Tocqueville sees in American society?

7. According to de Tocqueville, how do political associations combat individualism and egoism?

8. In what situation would total equality of the people's condition be possible?

9. What two concepts, though linked, should not be confounded?

10. How is the division of labor in the industries in the United States divided?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does de Tocqueville define a political association? What role does association have in democracy as de Tocqueville presents it? Is that the same role it has today? Explain your answer using specific examples from today and the book.

Essay Topic 2

According to de Tocqueville, power is divided between the federal government and the states. What aspects of American democracy has de Tocqueville shown where this is true? What are some instances that he has shown where this is not true? What effects does this division have on democracy in America? Support your answers with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

De Tocqueville believes that democracy counters individualism by ensuring that common good is understood as profiting everyone in the community. In what ways do the structures, people, and ideas de Tocqueville presents in the book affirm that idea? In what ways do they not support the idea? Which is a more convincing argument and why? Support your answers with examples from the book.

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