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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. For what reason does Machiavelli advise people in power to, "...lay aside personal hatred?"
(a) To serve the freedom of the Self.
(b) To prepare for war.
(c) To build good families.
(d) For the good of the country.

2. What does Machiavelli recommend as the three ways to restore a divided city?
(a) Kill the leaders, conscript the men to the military, take the women into slavery.
(b) Kill the leaders of tumults, remove them from the city, or have them make peace.
(c) Build a wall between the combatants, place soldiers between their neighborhoods, and prevent them from passing among each other.
(d) Dividing the city's wealth among the factions, sending them to colonies, conscripting them to the military.

3. On what does Machiavelli believe a Republic must be organized?
(a) The virtu of its Captains who will effectively deceive enemies.
(b) On the reputation of Citizens that give benefit to the city and avoid harming it and its liberty.
(c) The wisdom of its Nobles who will know how to use wealth.
(d) The strength of its armies that can occupy provinces.

4. Of what is Machiavelli referring when he addresses the use of deceit in managing wars?
(a) Fooling the city he attacks to hide in a fort.
(b) Fooling the Senate to put him where he can win.
(c) Fooling his soldiers to do things he needs.
(d) Using tactics that mislead the enemy in battle.

5. What does Machiavelli claim causes disunity in a Republic?
(a) Corruption and war.
(b) Wealth and industry.
(c) Idleness and peace.
(d) Fortune and leisure.

6. What are the two ways that Machiavelli claims that envy can be extinguished?
(a) Through war and crisis.
(b) Through friendship and common wealth.
(c) Through life threatening disaster or through the death of rivals.
(d) Through conspiracy and corruption.

7. To whom did Machiavelli refer to demonstrate the value of poverty on the character of leadership?
(a) Claudius.
(b) Cincinnatus.
(c) Caesar.
(d) Brutus.

8. What does Machiavelli identify as the difference between a Republic and the State (government) in how they can handle maladies?
(a) A Republic uses its freedom, but a state uses its laws.
(b) A Republic appoints a bureaucracy, but a state goes to war.
(c) A Republic counts on the wisdom of its Plebes, but a State uses the wealth of its Nobles.
(d) A Republic has time to correct maladies, but a State does not.

9. What does Machiavelli advise to Princes who desire to take something from another Prince?
(a) To keep their plans a secret.
(b) To take the Prince captive first but make no hasty decisions afterwards.
(c) To make sure that their generals know tactics of deception.
(d) To act quickly to force a quick decision on the other Prince.

10. Who does Machiavelli credit with protecting Rome from the ambitions of the Tribunes?
(a) Appius Claudius.
(b) Lucius Brutus.
(c) Junius Claudius.
(d) Claudius Lucius.

11. What does Machiavelli claim to be the conduct of excellent and courageous men whether they experience good fortune or bad?
(a) They keep their courage in any fortune.
(b) They find enemies and defeat them.
(c) They adjust to the times.
(d) They never refuse any type of challenge.

12. What are the two causes that will bring a corrupted Republic to take the important step of extending its life?
(a) Religion and industry.
(b) Wisdom and knowledge.
(c) Intrinsic and extrinsic.
(d) Revolution and overthrow.

13. What did Roman historian Livius call Necessity?
(a) NECESSITY IS BUT AN INTERPRETATION.
(b) THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.
(c) THE LAST AND BEST WEAPON.
(d) THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF FREEDOM.

14. How do weak men handle changes in fortune, according to Machiavelli?
(a) They are arrogant in good times and cowards in bad times.
(b) They are vain and inebriated by good fortune and vile and abject in bad fortune.
(c) They are insufferable in good times and obscure in bad times.
(d) They are greedy in good times and beggars in bad times.

15. What does Machiavelli consider the most useful possession for the defense of a Republic?
(a) Strong fortresses.
(b) Harsh Captains.
(c) A good army.
(d) Wise diplomats.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Machiavelli believe comes to a good army without a good Captain?

2. What does Machiavelli advise Princes in observing promises made under force?

3. What kinds of men are frowned upon in corrupt Republics?

4. What has Machiavelli considered many times to be the causes of good and bad fortunes to men?

5. What does Machiavelli claim causes men to conspire against their target?

(see the answer keys)

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