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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why does Machiavelli recommend that those who want to reform a city should retain the appearance of the institutions they want to reform?
(a) Because keeping the appearance of those institutions helps to keep important advisers within the circle of government.
(b) Because keeping the appearance of those institutions helps to hide the true agenda of the Prince.
(c) Because keeping the appearance of those institutions assures a smooth transition of power.
(d) Because the general masses are satisfied with appearances and are moved by things as they appear rather than by the way they operate (perception is reality).

2. 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) The isolation from more fertile areas allow for greater freedom.
(d) Barren areas stand at crossroads between fertile areas so they can control trade between prosperous cities.

3. Why does Machiavelli suggest wars should be quick with limited damage to the conquered City?
(a) To reduce the cost to the conquering Prince and preserve the resources of the conquered city as booty for the conquering forces.
(b) So Citizens are not burdened by the demands of the war.
(c) So armies can be readied for the next war.
(d) So armies can be brought home to participate in a productive economy.

4. What are the five types of government identified by Machiavelli?
(a) Republic, fascistic, democracy, principality, and oligarchy.
(b) Democracy, anarchy, monarchy, constitutional, and institutional.
(c) Tyranny, constitutional, military oligarchy, principality, and democracy.
(d) Monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, oligarchy, and anarchy.

5. According to Machiavelli, what was one negative consequence of the Roman Senate's decision to pay soldiers out of public money?
(a) So many Citizens joined the military that there were not enough to perform necessary jobs throughout the Republic.
(b) It raised taxes on Nobles.
(c) Rome was required to produce more currency to meet the payments, so the currency was devalued.
(d) Soldiers began expecting regular pay raises.

6. How did Machiavelli report that the Nobles controlled the process of Plebes having the opportunity to choose Plebes for four Tribunes?
(a) They offered choices between highly reputable Nobles and ignoble Plebes who asked to be considered for the positions.
(b) They were in charge of counting the votes.
(c) They controlled the means of Plebes to provide for themselves.
(d) They began a war and had many Plebes sent to a foreign province.

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

8. 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 allowed land owners to use their land to help the poor become wealthy.
(c) Agrarian laws allowed Nobles to take land from Plebes with the intent to increase the land's productivity.
(d) 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.

9. What were the reasons that Machiavelli cited for the Roman Senate choosing to pay a public stipend to fighting men (soldiers)?
(a) To hide the increased taxes that were used to build houses for Nobles.
(b) To increase the number of soldiers in the army.
(c) To keep the citizens in poverty so they would support wars.
(d) Because without the stipend, wars could not be made for any length of time, neither could Rome besiege towns nor lead armies to a distance.

10. What does Machiavelli believe inspired the expansion of the Roman Empire?
(a) Keeping Citizens in poverty.
(b) Virtue.
(c) Aggression and murder.
(d) Harsh Captains guiding the military.

11. What does Machiavelli claim new sects (religions) do as they rise to prominence?
(a) Cause Citizens to avoid fighting in wars.
(b) Influence Citizens to be obedient to the Prince.
(c) Influence the culture to defy the Prince.
(d) Destroy all the signs, including language, of the old sects they come to dominate.

12. What does Machiavelli examine in Chapter 1 of Book 2?
(a) Whether the Roman Empire was built upon fortune or virtue.
(b) Why fortune is more important that virtue.
(c) How virtue can destroy fortune.
(d) How to develop fortune and virtue.

13. According to Machiavelli, what caused so much hard work for Rome as it expanded its Empire to distant provinces?
(a) The cost of sending the military to distant provinces.
(b) The damage to families who sent their working sons to war.
(c) The love of people of other lands for liberty.
(d) The demands on farmers to provide the food for soldiers on long trips.

14. According to Machiavelli, what is the first thing that Citizens seek when starting on the path of chasing their ambitions?
(a) A cause that will incite the passions of the general masses.
(b) Means to win access to public office.
(c) The support of a wealthy Noble.
(d) Not to be harmed by citizens or magistrates.

15. What does Machiavelli establish as the relationship between gold and good soldiers?
(a) Gold is not sufficient to find good soldiers, but good soldiers are indeed sufficient to find gold.
(b) The promise of gold will make soldiers weaker.
(c) Gold will cause good soldiers to go bad.
(d) Gold attracts good soldiers.

Short Answer Questions

1. How long did Sparta peacefully exist without changing its laws, according to Machiavelli?

2. What are three reasons that Machiavelli gives for cities becoming unhappy?

3. What is a Prince as Machiavelli uses the term?

4. What does Machiavelli identify as tactics the Citizen seeking not to be harmed uses?

5. What was the inspiration for Machiavelli's "The Discourses"?

(see the answer keys)

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