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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. At the end of Chapter 6: The Prize, how had Newton changed his thinking about the longitude problem?

2. Where did Harrison go to present his case to the Board of Longitude?

3. Hooke nor Huygens were able to:

4. What was built at Greenwich Park?

5. What was the powder of sympathy method to determine longitude called?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did changes in temperature affect early clocks?

2. What did the Longitude Act establish?

3. What was King Charles II's role in solving the longitude problem?

4. What two advances did Thacker's chronometer make? Why did it still not work?

5. In 1530, Flemish astronomer Gemma Frisiusm wrote that the clocks of his day "provided no problem to those who traveled." In reality, what were the problems with clocks of his day for travel?

6. Why was it unusual that John Harrison became an accomplished clockmaker?

7. What did Huygens patent in 1675.

8. What were the economic consequences of not knowing longitude?

9. What was the result of Hooke and Huygens not producing a successful clock that worked at sea?

10. What were the problems with William Whiston's proposal for determining longitude?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A theme central to the book is that of ambition. Harrison's ambition comes through with his determination to solve the longitude problem through timepieces, despite various obstacles. In an essay, discuss Harrison's motivation for winning the longitude prize. Was Harrison intrinsically motivated because he was a hard worker and wanted to succeed or extrinsically motivated by wealth and fame?

Essay Topic 2

The Royal Astronomers were determined that the answer to the longitude problem resided in the heavens. Why wouldn't the astronomer's consider an alternative solution to the longitude problem, such as Harrison's clock solution?

Essay Topic 3

In an essay, analyze Chapter 14: The Mass Production of Genius. What effect did the mass production of watches and clocks have on the world?

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