View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

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

3. 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 administrators conspire to act with the virtue of the excellent Prince.
(d) Only if the city does not fall into war with a more virtuous city.

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

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

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

7. 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 armies can be readied for the next war.
(c) So Citizens are not burdened by the demands of the war.
(d) So armies can be brought home to participate in a productive economy.

8. 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 putting the leaders of enemies in positions of public responsibility will require them to make decisions that will be rejected by conspiracies.
(c) Because taking out the head of a movement will lead to the death of the body.
(d) Because those who try to crush it, make its force greater, and make that evil which is suspected from it to be accelerated.

9. According to Machiavelli in Section 1 of Book One, who are the two types of people who build cities?
(a) Craftsmen and politicians.
(b) Princes and generals.
(c) Farmers and merchants.
(d) Men born in their location or foreigners.

10. 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.

11. 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) Consuming his wealth in debauchery.
(c) Lacking their own soldiers for defense and offense.
(d) Missing opportunities to conquer other cities.

12. How did Roman soldiers provide for themselves before the Senate decided to pay them?
(a) They were required to provide for their own needs.
(b) They received sponsorships from Nobles.
(c) They worked as aides to Senators.
(d) They worked as farmers.

13. Considering Machiavelli's praise for the example of how Nobles manipulated the opportunity for Plebes to select their peers for positions of influence, who is the clear intended audience of "The Discourses"?
(a) Nobles seeking methods to keep their power.
(b) Plebes who need to know the tactics of Nobles to control them.
(c) Future candidates for election who need to know how to win.
(d) Those who are concerned with how the Republic is being manipulated by people with power.

14. What was an example from Roman history that Machiavelli used to suggest the Plebes possesses greater wisdom than Nobles?
(a) The Magistrates decision to delay battle against the Samnites.
(b) A time when the Plebes could have chosen all Plebes for four Tribunes, chose, instead, four Nobles because they recognized the weaknesses of Plebes filling those offices.
(c) The willingness of the Plebes to go to war for the glory of Rome.
(d) The failed attempt of the Nobles to put Plebes of ill-repute to selection for Tribunes.

15. What historical records did Machiavelli use to support his point for keeping two important items out of peril?
(a) Historical records of Rome and France.
(b) Historical records of Hannibal and England.
(c) Historical records of Tullus and Metius.
(d) Historical records of military tactics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Machiavelli claim these forms of government developed?

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

3. What did Machiavelli report led gatherings of people to make laws?

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

5. What does Machiavelli consider to be the worst example to be provided by leaders in a Republic?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,205 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample