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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. To what does Machiavelli compare great kingdoms and republics from history?
(a) To great works of antique art that have been found and preserved.
(b) To his projections of the future in which Machiavelli speculated on how power would be preserved.
(c) To his ideal state that combined the most successful institutions from those civilizations.
(d) To the state of political instability in which was common to Machiavelli's day.

2. What are the two means that Machiavelli identifies as how laws are developed in cities at the beginning of Section 2, Book One.
(a) Through dominion of the wealthy or through bartering agreements.
(b) By war and by peace.
(c) Through Princes or through Republics.
(d) At one time by one man and by chance at several times according to events.

3. What are the two important items that Machiavelli considers to be unwise for a Prince to put entirely into peril?
(a) His reputation and family.
(b) His city and his chief advisers.
(c) His fortune and his reputation.
(d) His fortune and forces.

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

5. What is the main point Machiavelli investigates as he prepares to discuss the affects of strong Princes and weak Princes?
(a) How strict power eliminates corruption and maintains freedom.
(b) Whether a free state (government) can exist in a city that is corrupted.
(c) Whether a free state can exist without laws.
(d) Whether a free state can exist with virtuous Princes.

6. 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 cynical commentary to the weakness of leaders of his time.
(c) As a warning to future generations of the tenuous nature of freedom.
(d) As a letter to two political thinkers from Florence.

7. 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.

8. What does Machiavelli consider prudence in a Prince or a King?
(a) Keeping friends close and enemies closer.
(b) Knowing that the enemy of his enemy is his friend.
(c) In times of peace not neglecting the arrangements of war.
(d) Picking battles that are important enough to fight and small enough to win.

9. What should the reader consider as evil when Machiavelli is advising Princes to "recognize evils".
(a) Evil is those human inclinations that cause them to act selfishly.
(b) Evil should be considered to be any influence which challenges the power of the Prince.
(c) Evil is anything with which a Prince does not agree.
(d) Evil is those public reactions that oppose the Prince.

10. What was the inspiration for Machiavelli's "The Discourses"?
(a) Livy's account of the history of Rome written around 25 B.C.
(b) Machiavelli's interest in forms of government.
(c) Machiavelli's desire to guide politicians to serve the public needs.
(d) Machiavelli's fascination for power.

11. 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.

12. Reviewing earlier chapters of "The Discourses", why would Machiavelli consider long wars in foreign lands important?
(a) Because long wars give Nobles an opportunity for Nobles to encourage Plebes to perform glorious works for the Republic.
(b) Because Machiavelli considers fighting wars and building empires to be signs of virtuous leaders.
(c) Because long wars assures that poverty will be maintained for everyone in the Republic.
(d) Because Machiavelli suggested long wars helped to keep Republics united.

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

14. What did Machiavelli identify as the cause of conspiracy against a hereditary Princes?
(a) The larger population of citizens became unhappy with the the political preferences of the Princes.
(b) Less powerful people desired the power of the Prince.
(c) They degenerated from their fathers, and surpassed others in sumptuousness and lasciviousness and in every other kind of delight.
(d) The general population became dissatisfied with the distribution of wealth.

15. What does Machiavelli identify as tactics the Citizen seeking not to be harmed uses?
(a) Friendships with Citizens who are bold enough to fight.
(b) Obscurity.
(c) Acquiring friendships either through honest means or by supplying money to protect themselves from the powerful (bribes).
(d) The financial ability to buy protection.

Short Answer Questions

1. What support did Machiavelli use for his view of what he considers to be the worst example provided by leaders?

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

3. According to Machiavelli, what caused the Roman Republic to form?

4. What was an example from Roman history that Machiavelli used to suggest the Plebes possesses greater wisdom than Nobles?

5. What was a rival Empire to Rome as Rome began its expansion?

(see the answer keys)

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