View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What event precipitates the beginning of the war?
(a) An attempted sea attack agains Athens from Sparta
(b) Word that Thrace had invaded Corinth.
(c) The beheading of Athenian envoys to Sparta
(d) The actual advent of hostilities comes about through a Theban surprise attack against Plataea.

2. Who prevents the Athenian army from marching out to meet the Spartans?
(a) Socrates
(b) Pericles
(c) Thucydides
(d) Androclese

3. At the time Athens is gaining control in Lesbos, what is happening in Plataea?
(a) Plataea is defeated by an Athenian attack.
(b) Plataea holds off the Spartans until Athenian forces arrive.
(c) Plataea finally capitulates and the Spartans execute all of the surviving forces.
(d) Plataea declares itself neutral.

4. What is detailed in Book Two?
(a) The formula Thucydides uses for writing the remainer of the history
(b) The biographies of important individuals ca. 421 BC
(c) A complex layout of the geography of the day
(d) The beginning history of the Peloponesian War

5. In the case of a conquered land, what is the general practice of that time regarding private property?
(a) Land is confiscated and given to citizens of the conquering nation.
(b) The conquered people are allowed to keep their land.
(c) The land is redistributed among the citizens of the conquered country.
(d) All the land becomes public property administered by the state.

6. What opinion does Thucydides seem to have about Pericles as a leader?
(a) He thinks he is too passive.
(b) He blames him for the later defeats of the Athenians.
(c) He faults him for not taking on Sparta sooner.
(d) He rates him as highly effectual.

7. What appears to be a mistake made by the Athenian forces under Pericles?
(a) Athens attempts to fortify all of Attica.
(b) Athens ignores the possible danger Corinth might become.
(c) Athens occupies Aegina and ejects the citizens who are subsequently resettled by Sparta in Thyrea.
(d) Athens attempts an embargo against Sparta.

8. Book One concludes in the winter before hostilities erupt. What date is given by modern scholars for this time?
(a) 421/420 BC
(b) 432/431 BC
(c) 410/409 BC
(d) 398/397 BC

9. In the early days of the war, which power seems to have the upper hand?
(a) Sparta
(b) Athens
(c) Thrace
(d) Corinth

10. How might the Spartan envoy to the Athenians have changed history?
(a) Is Sparta surrenders Brasias, the war would end.
(b) If the Spartan envoy is not assassinated, the war would end.
(c) If Sparta offers to cede land, the war would end.
(d) If Sparta's offer for peace is accepted, the war would end.

11. What event in ca 479 BC gives rise to a period of prominence in Athens?
(a) The influence of Socratic philosophy
(b) Defeat of the invading Persian army
(c) Defeat of the Spartans
(d) Incorporation of the surrounding city-states

12. Who are the Athenian hoplites?
(a) Salves taken from Lesbos
(b) Helots who fled Sparta after the earthquake
(c) Heavily-armed military infantry
(d) Religious fanatics

13. What action is Athens taking in Sicily and Italy?
(a) Athenian troops capture a few small cities in Sicily and Locris in Italy.
(b) Athens is establishing diplomatic relations in Sicily and italy.
(c) Athens is building new triremes to attack from the West.
(d) Athens is raising additional armies.

14. What distant event at this time would later prove important in the Peloponnesian War?
(a) Sicily invades Sparta.
(b) Sicily and Syracuse sign a defense pact.
(c) Syracuse invades Messana.
(d) Sparta invades Syracuse.

15. After the war begins, what diplomatic success does Athens have?
(a) Gaining a neutrality pact from Persia.
(b) Athens concludes alliances with Odrysian, Thrace, and Macedonia .
(c) Making a peace deal with Corinth.
(d) Athens successfully launches an anti-Spartan publicity attack.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is a major upset to Athens during 447 through 446 BC?

2. What is the stated purpose of Book One of Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War?

3. How are Spartan envoys able to get through the Athenian blockade of Mytilene?

4. What are the four major geographic areas listed in Book One?

5. How is Athens insulted by Megara and Euboea about the same time as the Boeotian revolution?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 795 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample