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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. How would you describe Nevil Maskelyne?

2. Who was to test H-3 and H-4 at sea?

3. How did John Arnold make so many watches at such an economical price?

4. When did Harrison die?

5. Which clock did Harrison become dissatisfied with and never made to sea?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened when H-3 and H-4 were tested at sea?

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

3. Describe the H-4.

4. Why was Maskelyne threatened by Harrison?

5. What happened when Harrison presented H-1 to the Board of Longitude?

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

7. What happened when King George III took an interest in Harrison's clocks?

8. What was Harrison's primary motivation for winning the longitude prize?

9. Who were Harrison's enemies? Why?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role did the astronomers elitism play in the quest for solving the longitude problem?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

When the Board of Longitude established a large monetary prize, many inventors came forward with ideas on how to solve the problem. In an essay, analyze whether or not the monetary award associated with the longitude prize helped to spur ideas for solving longitude or created a setback in time wasted having to consider crackpot schemes.

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