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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 completed the first working pendulum clock?

2. Who came up with a way to draw longitude meridians on the night sky?

3. What did Huygens and Hooke fight over?

4. Early clocks weren't up to measuring longitude at sea for two reasons. They were not accurate and changed because of what while at sea?

5. What did Harrison build that still function today?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the main problem with the "lunar-distance" method?

2. Explain the title of Chapter 5: Powder of Sympathy.

3. What did Huygens patent in 1675.

4. What was the result of the Whiston-Ditton proposal?

5. What was the Longitude Act of 1714?

6. Describe John Harrison.

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

8. In 1740, the Centurion set sail for the South Pacific without Harrison's clock. What might have been different about the voyage if they would have taken the clock? Why?

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

10. Describe John Harrison's family.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Sobel's writing style. How does she balance fact and opinion to further the plot of the book? Does her style lend itself more to fiction or nonfiction?

Essay Topic 2

In an essay, analyze the role Nevil Maskelyne played in the quest to solve the longitude problem.

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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