View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What country was Thomas Godfrey from?

2. How much time did H-4 lose at sea when it was being tested?

3. How many working parts does the H-3 have?

4. What was the result of the test by Maskelyne of the H-4.

5. Who took Nathaniel Bliss's spot on the Board of Longitude?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Harrison's relationship with the Board of Longitude.

2. Explain the title of Chapter 12: A Tale of Two Portraits.

3. Explain the developments in finding an astronomical solution outlined in Chapter 9: Hands on Heaven's Clock.

4. What effect did Harrison's success have on the Longitude Act and the Board of Longitude?

5. Describe the progression of Harrison's clocks in Chapter 8: The Grasshopper Goes to Sea.

6. What hurdles did Harrison have to jump over even though the H-4 was accurate enough to win the Longitude Prize?

7. In Chapter 11: Trial by Fire and Water, who is the villain introduced? Why was he at odds with Harrison?

8. Why didn't the H-4 win the Longitude Prize?

9. Explain the title of Chapter 10: The Diamond Timekeeper.

10. Describe the H-4.

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

Complete a historical analysis of John Harrison. How would you describe him? What qualities did he posses that helped him to be successful?

Essay Topic 3

By entitling her book, Longitude: The True Story of the Lone Genius that Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time, Sobel seems to have a clear bias in her understanding of the history she portrays in her book. Using specific examples from the book, write an essay demonstrating ways in which Sobel's portrayal of history is biased towards Harrison.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 952 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample