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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. Why does Henry Adams feel that study of the Law is closed to him?

2. Where does Henry Adams go to find work in "The Press"?

3. After volunteering to present Lyell's principles to people in the United States, how does Henry Adams come to feel about Darwinsim?

4. Near the end of Chapter 5, "Berlin", what does Henry Adams suddenly starts to understand?

5. After Henry Adams moves to Dresden, which two countries start a war?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Abyss of Ignorance" what does Henry Adams say about force?

2. How does Henry Adams' family talk him out of joining the Army?

3. What are the four main influences Henry Adams describes in the first chapter, "Quincy"?

4. In "Free Fight", what proves that Grant is not a reform-minded president?

5. What disappoints Henry Adams about President Grant?

6. What happens at Cambridge House in "Foes and Friends"?

7. At the end of "Political Morality", why is Henry Adams left confused about Russell and Palmerston?

8. How does Henry Adams' friend, St. Gaudens, reflect his idea of The Dynamo and The Virgin?

9. What does Henry Adams try to achieve in his working life in "President Grant"?

10. How does Henry Adams describe the "anti-slavery doctrinaires"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How did Russia influence Henry Adams' development of his theory of the 20th century? Describe at least three specifics about Russia that guided Henry Adams' thoughts and explain the rationality of each.

Essay Topic 2

Henry Adams often reflected on the influence of religion. How did religion influenced Henry Adams throughout his life? How did religion help form his ideas of life and how did religion impact the development of his theories? How does Henry Adams describe religion throughout the various centuries? How did these descriptions influence Adams' ideas?

Essay Topic 3

Henry Adams created the terms the Dynamo and the Virgin. What are the Dynamo and the Virgin? How do they relate to each other? What do they represent in the world? How do these ideas help Adams' create all of his theories of the world? Are these useful terms? Why/why not?

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