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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What promise does Ferdinand de Lesseps keep on January 1, 1880?
(a) Leads the New Year's parade through the capital.
(b) Tosses a lucky franc into the bay near Panama City.
(c) Strikes the first blow for the Panama.
(d) Cuts the ribbon at the location for the Panama Canal.

2. Which President of the United States is assassinated in 1901?
(a) Franklin D. Roosevelt.
(b) William Howard Taft.
(c) William McKinley.
(d) Grover Cleveland.

3. "The Hero" is a reference to the esteem surrounding Ferdinand de Lesseps at what point in history?
(a) During the ten-month 1870-1871 Franco-German War.
(b) In 1875 when he announces his interest in an interoceanic canal.
(c) Upon the 1869 opening of his lockless Suez Canal.
(d) His foundation of the Sociyty Civile Internationale du Canal Interocyanique de Darien.

4. Back in Paris, in mid-1885, Ferdinand de Lesseps stipulates his Panama project ranks how in comparison to Suez?
(a) Less difficult than Suez, just longer.
(b) Equally difficult to Suez.
(c) Ten times more difficult than Suez.
(d) Twice as difficult as Suez.

5. What happens to Lt. Isaac Strain's expeditionary party in 1850 when attempting to locate a potential path at the Isthmus of Darien?
(a) They nearly perishes.
(b) The party identifies two locations deemed viable.
(c) The party is successful with no loss of life.
(d) The party is a total loss.

6. In what way does author David McCullough find all early 19th-century canal plans preposterous?
(a) Every survey is flawed by failure to consider realistic astrological and geological considerations.
(b) Every survey is flawed by lack of effort to gain accurate, applicable data.
(c) Every survey is flawed by incorrect geographic surveys or lack of geological specimens.
(d) Every survey is flawed by inaccurate data and bad assumptions.

7. Julesa Dingler restores order and confidence upon arrival, distributes the workload, purges the disloyal, and formulates what?
(a) A plan to eliminate requirement for high laborer requirement.
(b) A design for huge dam with 30% steeper banks.
(c) First of several French master plans in Panama.
(d) The only French master plan to be had in Panama.

8. Chairman Morgan appears happy questioning witnesses in February 1902, and his badgering of Ydouard Lampry, the Compagnie Nouvelle spokesman creates what?
(a) Legitimate headlines, no substance to be reported.
(b) Overblown headlines and lies reported.
(c) Overblown headlines, but legitimate substance to report.
(d) Overblown headlines but no substance to report.

9. What firm tows its first massive, steam-powered dredges to Colon in April of 1883?
(a) Compagnie Nouvelle de Canal de Panama.
(b) Slaven & Herne Dredging & Contracting, Inc.
(c) Compagnie Universal de Panama.
(d) Herne, Slaven & Co. (later American Contracting and Dredging Co.).

10. What does the public prosecutor, Jules Quesnay de Beaurepaire, propose in October 1892?
(a) Civil suit for damages.
(b) Improbable cause for civil or criminal action.
(c) Criminal trial.
(d) Both a civil suit and criminal trial.

11. What does Theodore Roosevelt state in his first message to Congress is the reason the U.S. must construct a canal in Central America for?
(a) For commercial purposes.
(b) For humanitarian reasons.
(c) It is key to U.S. naval supremacy.
(d) To rival Suez.

12. Why is it nearly impossible in the early stages of canal construction to maintain an adequate work force?
(a) High death toll.
(b) High illness rate.
(c) Frequent turnover.
(d) Language differences.

13. Sen. Spooner offers a Hepburn Bill amendment authorizing the President to acquire the Panama property and concessions for no more than $40 million, only if Colombia relinquishes what?
(a) A perpetual six-mile sovereignty zone.
(b) A perpetual twelve-mile sovereignty zone.
(c) A perpetual three-mile sovereignty zone,
(d) A perpetual nine-mile sovereignty zone.

14. Due to continuing slides, the "total cube" of the cut steadily increases, until it appears necessary for the top of the cut to be how far wide to achieve a mathematically stable 1:4 ratio?
(a) 1 mile.
(b) 4/5 mile.
(c) 1/2 mile.
(d) 3/4 mile.

15. In November 1881, who dies the apparent victim of malaria, the most common tropical disease?
(a) Abel Couvreux.
(b) Lieutenant Reclus.
(c) Henri Bionnr.
(d) Gaston Blanchet.

Short Answer Questions

1. To eliminate rumors he is terminally ill, Ferdinand de Lesseps goes where?

2. In which book does the author urge no action be taken prior to experts first comparing the pros and cons of all potential routes in connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans?

3. Both Napoleonic types, Philippe Banau-Varilla and William Nelson Cromwell are the "Panama Lobby" spokesmen, the latter a corporate lawyer with a mystery reputation who pulls strings, what is his motto?

4. Jaques de Reinach is the "Micros" article's inside source, but Ydouard Drumont denies testifying, unless he is pardoned for what type of conviction keeping him in prison?

5. When Jules Dingler quits upon approaching mental and physical collapse and Maurice Hutin steps in for a month before resigning also, who becomes acting head of the entire effort?

(see the answer keys)

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