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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 is Machiavelli's explanation for initiating his recommended approach with enemies against an empire?
(a) Because the public humiliation of the enemy will expose supporters to the Citizens who will then act to neutralize the conspiracy.
(b) Because taking out the head of a movement will lead to the death of the body.
(c) Because putting the leaders of enemies in positions of public responsibility will require them to make decisions that will be rejected by conspiracies.
(d) Because those who try to crush it, make its force greater, and make that evil which is suspected from it to be accelerated.

2. According to Machiavelli, how did the Agrarian Laws violate the foundation of well-ordered Republics?
(a) Agrarian laws allowed Nobles to take land from Plebes with the intent to increase the land's productivity.
(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 the government to decide what was to be grown on land in spite of the expertise of the land owner.
(d) Agrarian laws allowed land owners to use their land to help the poor become wealthy.

3. What did Machiavelli report led gatherings of people to make laws?
(a) To protect economic activity that benefited the city.
(b) To avoid evils that people committed on others.
(c) So resources could be justly distributed.
(d) To set order to the defense of the city.

4. How does Machiavelli expect a city can keep its freedom after a weak Prince follows an excellent Prince?
(a) Only if the city does not fall into war with a more virtuous city.
(b) Only if administrators conspire to act with the virtue of the excellent Prince.
(c) Only if the citizens ignore the weak Prince and organize themselves to retain virtue.
(d) Only if a Prince with the virtue of the excellent Prince follows the weak Prince.

5. According to Machiavelli, what type of people seek what office to cause a city to become corrupt?
(a) Generals seek to become senators.
(b) The rich and powerful, rather than the virtuous, seek to become judges (magistrates).
(c) Weak and dependent people seek to become senators.
(d) The working poor seek to become plebes.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Machiavelli cite as the method that Rome used to maintain its freedom?

2. What do fertile areas offer to those who settle there according to Machiavelli?

3. What can be inferred of Machiavelli's idea of virtue from reading the review of the first three kings of Rome as he begins his discourse of weak Princes and excellent Princes?

4. How does Machiavelli suggest that Princes and other leaders deal with acts that offend their citizens?

5. What does Machiavelli consider an important tool in maintaining the order of a Republic?

(see the answer key)

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