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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 does Lee try to protect but is pushed back by an all-out assault, forced to retreat across the Appomattox River?

2. Who is captured by Confederate troops but pulls off a ruse?

3. Where does Lee work, rebuilding the college?

4. Who orders Chamberlain to take out the Confederate artillery?

5. What do Lee's men begin to abandon, revealing their loss of morale?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Chamberlain rides back to the battle, how does he fool Confederate soldiers through a ruse?

2. How does the battle at Fort Stedman begin initially by accident?

3. Why do the peace negotiations between Lincoln and the Confederate officials go nowhere?

4. What is the irony in Chamberlain's death at the time of World War I?

5. What is Lee forced to accept in his leadership after Jackson dies?

6. How does the crater become a death trap for the Federal soldiers?

7. How does Shaara powerfully convey the death of Hill, one of Lee's leaders through a third-person point of view of an unknown officier?

8. How does Lincoln's nomination affect the Federal soldiers and their confidence in victory?

9. Why is Lee worried about shifting command to Beauregard?

10. Why does Lee fail to attend the surrender ceremony?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the main themes in the book is ethical and social responsibility. List at least four examples where Shaara employs this specific theme. Is the battle between making ethical choices obvious or subtle? What characters are involved in this kind of battle? Do you think the right person or group won? Does good always triumph over evil in the case of "The Last Full Measure" ethics? Where do these definitions appear vague or incomprehensible?

Essay Topic 2

Disappointment takes on an almost human persona in "The Last Full Measure". What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

Essay Topic 3

Lincoln tries always to maintain composure and integrity in every situation in "The Last Full Measure". Why are Lincoln's actions dignified? What effect did Lincoln's background have on his cultivating his personal dignity? What would be expected behavior from someone in Lincoln's position? Why would it be important for a gentleman like Lincoln to behave with dignity?

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