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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. A tribute system was developed in the _____ Islands.

2. Forces from which country were in place in which location at this time?

3. In what year did the French Jesuit Jean-Baptiste Du Halde write about China?

4. The Chinese managed to pit which two countries against each other in Manchuria?

5. In what year B.C. did the Chinese unification take place?

Short Essay Questions

1. How and why does Kissinger compare Confucius to Machiavelli?

2. According to Kissinger, the tale of the Yellow Emperor is the beginning of China as an entity. However, in Chinese legend, although no other history exists, the Yellow Emperor appears to have arrived to save China. What is the legend?

3. How did the Japanese culture compare and contrast to the Chinese culture?

4. What was Prince Gong's plan? Who emulated Prince Gong's work?

5. Why were the Chinese approached by the "red-haired barbarians" of Britain in regards to free trade?

6. What was Kissinger's opening explanation of his time in China?

7. How does Kissinger explain the Nian Rebellion?

8. What did China do to compete with Japan and Russia? When did the Chinese realize that they were not all powerful?

9. What was the Taiping Rebellion? When did it take place?

10. What was the Nian Rebellion? When did it occur? Who took over the government?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

China always saw itself as a superior country in both power and culture. Examine this mentality. What gave China the impression that it was superior? Was it superior? How did it show this superiority over its enemies? How did other countries view this standpoint? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Mao. Why is Mao a controversial figure? What was Kissinger's opinion of Mao? How did the Chinese people view Mao? Why was he called "Chairman Mao?" Were Kissinger's personal feelings different from his professional view of Mao? What was the relationship between Kissinger and Mao? Discuss the same questions regarding Kissinger and Zhou.

Essay Topic 3

Kissinger took his 40 years experience in working with China to present this book. Kissinger writes:

"This book is an effort, based in part on conversations with Chinese leaders, to explain the conceptual way the Chinese think about problems of peace and war and international order, and its relationship to the more pragmatic, case-by-case American approach. Different histories and cultures produce occasionally divergent conclusions. I do not always agree with the Chinese perspective, nor will every reader. But it is necessary to understand it, since China will play such a big role in the world that is emerging in the twenty-first century." (Preface, p. 11)

Why do you think the book was so important to Kissinger? Do you think it will change the American perception of the country? How can it help to bring the two countries closer together? How could Kissinger write about such a sensitive topic? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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