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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What expensive gem does Tweed encrust over everything at his daughter's wedding?

2. Which of the following subjects does John Roebling study in school as a teenager?

3. How many cables does Roebling suggest could hold the Brooklyn Bridge?

4. How many children does John and his wife Johanna have?

5. How many ferries commute between Manhattan and Brooklyn each day?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why were both Manhattan and Brooklyn interested in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge?

2. How does Roebling react to the scandal surrounding Kingsley's finances?

3. How was the fire in the caisson extinguished?

4. What is "the bends" and what is its effect on Roebling's workers?

5. How did John Roebling find himself moving to America?

6. What were some of the benefits of living in Brooklyn during the 1860's over living in Manhattan?

7. Who was Kingsley, and how did he become involved in fund raising for the Brooklyn Bridge?

8. How does John Roebling find himself in the operating room in the first days of the Brooklyn Bridge's construction?

9. What happened during the "Great Blowout" in the river?

10. How is the fire in the caisson started, and how do the newspapers report the fire?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Roebling did not always have such a strong relationship with his son Washington as he did when the two were working together. Explain what Roebling's relationship with Washington was like when Washington was a boy, and what events led to the change in relationship between father and son. Then, explain how the two worked together as they were constructing "The Great Bridge."

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the course of their lives, the relationships between John Roebling's many sons went through a variety of changes. At some points the three were working well together, and at other points the three weren't speaking. Choose two moments of relational change between the brothers and explain the onset of that change. Then, explain why the relationship between the brothers changed so frequently, and what hidden jealousies they continued to have with one another, even into their old age.

Essay Topic 3

"The Bends" was a horribly debilitating disorder that infected many of the workers on the Brooklyn Bridge, including Roebling himself. Explain how "The Bends" began its onset in the workers, and what its symptoms were. Then, explain what methods Roebling adopted to ensure his workers would no longer suffer from the disorder.

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