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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Machiavelli write will prevent a bad Citizen from working evil in a Republic?
(a) Conspiracy against the bad Citizen.
(b) The government taking steps to temporize the bad Citizen.
(c) The absence of corruption.
(d) General disregard for their reputation.

2. In what cases does Machiavelli endorse acting foolishly?
(a) To please a powerful Prince.
(b) To confuse political enemies.
(c) To confuse enemies at war.
(d) To Amuse the Nobles.

3. What knowledge is necessary for a Captain to be successful?
(a) The knowledge of sites (geography).
(b) The knowledge of the enemy.
(c) The knowledge of deception.
(d) The knowledge of tactics.

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

5. In Book 3, Section 1, what does Machiavelli declare to be, "...a most true thing...."
(a) That, "...all the things of the world have to have an ending to their existence."
(b) That, "...the only thing we learn from history is we do not learn from history."
(c) That, "...all will face death and taxes."
(d) That, "...regardless, all who rise suddenly will fall with the same rapidity."

Short Answer Questions

1. Of what is Machiavelli critical regarding the military tactics of his day?

2. What are the two causes that will bring a corrupted Republic to take the important step of extending its life?

3. What does Machiavelli identify as the cause of using dishonorable words against an enemy?

4. What does Machiavelli predict will come of corrupted Republics if they do not take the important step of extending its life?

5. How does the institution that makes men "harsh or effeminate" influence them, according to Machiavelli?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Machiavelli consider impetuosity and audacity to often be successful for a Prince to take a province that belongs to another Prince?

2. What does Machiavelli recommend as the three methods of reuniting a City that has been divided?

3. What are two reasons that Machiavelli claims men have a hard time changing with the times?

4. What are two points that you can take from Book Three, Section 13 to suggest that Machiavelli believes that it is better for a Prince to have a strong army badly captained rather than a bad army strongly captained?

5. What does Machiavelli consider to be the purpose of expanding an Empire and why must a Prince be well organized in expanding it properly?

6. Why did "Captains of Fortune" favor cavalry over infantry?

7. What were the two evils that Machiavelli claims came to Rome as its Empire grew in geographical size?

8. Why does Machiavelli warn Princes from using auxiliary soldiers from another Prince?

9. Why does Machiavelli claim that the Senate and Plebes rose up to take control of Rome from Tarquinius Superbus ?

10. Why doesn't Machiavelli expect promises made under force to be kept?

(see the answer keys)

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