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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 cite as Aristotle's three causes of ruin women bring on tyrants.
(a) The influence women have on men, children and families.
(b) The demands women make for wealth, food, and houses.
(c) Injury tyrants commit on women either by seduction, violence or corruption of marriages.
(d) Their seduction of tyrants, distracting their focus, and softening them with parental duties.

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

3. How did Phillip of Macedonia avoid battles with Fabius Maximus?
(a) By making an alliance with the Samnites.
(b) By disassmbling and going home.
(c) By moving his soldiers into provinces that Fabius had just left.
(d) By staying in a fort.

4. According to Machiavelli, what prevented the ambitions of the Nobles from corrupting Rome?
(a) Wars drained their wealth.
(b) The power of the Tribunes and the Plebes.
(c) The expanded Empire required that they move to colonies to lead them.
(d) Social ostracism by the Senate.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Machiavelli advise a Captain to consider a tactical error by an enemy?

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

3. Why would corrupt Republics accept common deceptions?

4. Why does Machiavelli advise Captains to use new things at the time that he does?

5. What type of person does Machiavelli advise against promoting to important positions in a Republic?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. Why does Machiavelli consider negotiating peace treaties with insurrectionists to be the most harmful method of ending conflicts in a City?

4. Why does Machiavelli consider saving an army from attack to be an effective method for defending a country?

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

6. What are two remedies that Machiavelli recommends in Book Three, section16 to prevent a City from becoming corrupted by periods of peace and wealth?

7. What does Machiavelli recommend to Captains as an element of strategy to assure success in capturing a town?

8. Why does Machiavelli believe, "that men born in a province observe for all time almost the same natures (Book 3, Section 43)?"

9. Why does Machiavelli consider towns more difficult to conquer after the Citizens have been in rebellion?

10. What is the advice that Machiavelli gives to Princes who take possessions from another Prince?

(see the answer keys)

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