This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Book One, The Development of Rome's Constitution, The Use and Abuse of Dictatorship, The Road to Ruin, Sundry Reflections Based on the Decemvirate.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What are two reasons Machiavelli gives for foreign forces building a city?
(a) To spread the culture of the homeland and use resources for financial development.
(b) To relieve existing towns of excessive inhabitants and for the defense of the country from which the forces come.
(c) To offer people in other lands the benefits of the existing system and to make their abilities and resources for universally beneficial.
(d) To exercise power over enemies and expand the power of an established system.

2. What does Machiavelli believe to the nature of men that causes them to either fight from ambition or from necessity?
(a) They fight so they can have the power to deliver liberty to themselves and the City.
(b) They are able to desire everything but are not able to attain everything.
(c) Men that choose to fight always fight for personal benefit.
(d) Men that choose to fight always fight for the glory of the City.

3. According to Machiavelli, how did the Agrarian Laws violate the foundation of well-ordered Republics?
(a) Agrarian laws allowed the government to decide what was to be grown on land in spite of the expertise of the land owner.
(b) Agrarian laws distributed land from those who had more than the law allowed among plebes rather than among Nobles with which they could enrich themselves.
(c) Agrarian laws allowed Nobles to take land from Plebes with the intent to increase the land's productivity.
(d) Agrarian laws allowed land owners to use their land to help the poor become wealthy.

4. Of what should Princes be most ashamed in Machiavelli's view?
(a) Being discovered to be self-absorbed and not devoted to building the strength of their cities.
(b) Missing opportunities to conquer other cities.
(c) Consuming his wealth in debauchery.
(d) Lacking their own soldiers for defense and offense.

5. What can be inferred of Machiavelli's view of freedom based upon reading view of weak and strong Princes?
(a) That Machiavelli is focused on keeping cities free from outside influences rather than individual freedom.
(b) That Machiavelli uses the term freedom in reference to the actions of Princes only.
(c) That Machiavelli considers freedom only suited to those who can earn it or buy it.
(d) That Machiavelli considered civil rights and individual liberties indispensable to the strength of a city.