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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 support did Machiavelli use for his view of what he considers to be the worst example provided by leaders?
(a) A series of Caesars who named friends to be Captains.
(b) The lawlessness that overtook Carthage as its Princes suspended harsh sentences for crimes against the State.
(c) A recent denial of appeal by Girolamo Savonarola to five citizens sentenced to death after Savonarola wrote the law allowing appeals.
(d) Tribunes who called the army from foreign provinces and decommissioned its Captains.

2. Why does Machiavelli claim these forms of government developed?
(a) To prevent people with the ability to use force from destroying each other.
(b) So those with wealth could protect themselves from those who had none.
(c) So those with influence could hold it without violence.
(d) To provide defense for people who gathered together.

3. Why does Machiavelli claim that the rule of the Caesars was preferable to the regime of the Decemvirs?
(a) Because under the Caesar, there remained the Tribunes, Consuls, and the Senate, to whom the Caesar remained responsible.
(b) Because Machiavelli believed that the Decemvirs were too lax on punishments for violators of the law.
(c) Because the Caesars ended Rome's state of continual war.
(d) Because, according to Machiavelli, the Decemvirs did not pursue expansion of the Empire.

4. How did Machiavelli begin the preface to "The Discourses"?
(a) With advice to two friends on how to keep their friends close and their enemies closer.
(b) As a warning to future generations of the tenuous nature of freedom.
(c) As a cynical commentary to the weakness of leaders of his time.
(d) As a letter to two political thinkers from Florence.

5. What did Machiavelli suggest is the advantage of settling in areas that were "sterile" (barren)?
(a) The poverty of resources would require those living there to have less cause for discord.
(b) Residents of sterile areas become more creative and develop technologies that can be sold to more fertile areas.
(c) Barren areas stand at crossroads between fertile areas so they can control trade between prosperous cities.
(d) The isolation from more fertile areas allow for greater freedom.

Short Answer Questions

1. What historical records did Machiavelli use to support his point for keeping two important items out of peril?

2. What should the reader consider as evil when Machiavelli is advising Princes to "recognize evils".

3. From what did Machiavelli develop the information that he wrote into "The Discourses"?

4. 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?

5. What are the two important items that Machiavelli considers to be unwise for a Prince to put entirely into peril?

(see the answer key)

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