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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. Who tells the regiment that McClellan thinks they won a great victory even though they took heavy losses?

2. Why does Johnston come to Los Angeles when Hancock and Armistead are still there?

3. How long does McClellan keep his army inactive after Lee's retreat?

4. What does Jackson do during John Brown's execution?

5. Where is Bowdoin College located?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Lee initially disappointed with his promotion to Brigadier General?

2. How do Hancock and his men end up attacking Richmond?

3. Why do both the northern and southern armies take a break from fighting after the Battle of Bull Run?

4. How do the leaders of Bowdoin College respond to Chamberlain's speech to his students about joining the war?

5. What has the Union Army done during its first attack on Richmond?

6. What happens after Lincoln comes to visit McClellan on the battlefield?

7. How did Lee win the first battle over Richmond?

8. What happens during the time when General Scott offers Lee the chance to be second in command of the union army and when Lee chooses to resign?

9. Why is Colonel Ames's message from McClellan about how victorious their battle is received poorly?

10. Why do Dr. Junkin and Jackson disagree about the forthcoming civil war?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss at least 3 ways that the violence and/or battle scenes in "Gods and Generals" are gratuitously violent and why such violence takes away from the plot and/or rest of the text.

Essay Topic 2

Present a well-reasoned paper arguing whether the reader is supposed to find Lee a likable (patriotic, dedicated, intelligent) character OR an unlikable (fighting for slavery, morose, rigid) character. Make sure to use specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Identify what you think is the tone for "Gods and Generals" and discuss 3 literary devices that Shaara uses to create this tone.

(see the answer keys)

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