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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 John Winthrop think of Daniel Patrick's and Anne Hutchinson's deaths?

2. Of what are Bess and Telaka accused?

3. What does Bess do after the birth of her son two days before Christmas?

4. Where will Joan and Thomas live?

5. On what grounds will the governor grant Bess' divorce from Robert?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the new governor refuses to marry Will and Bess?

2. How does Telaka prove her loyalty to Bess in Chapter 16?

3. What does Will discover when he visits Watertown one day?

4. What would make the villagers accuse Bess of being a witch?

5. In addition to England, what other countries are claiming territory in the New World?

6. Why are Bess and her family saved during an Indian attack on their home?

7. What happens when Will and Bess return to New Amsterdam in Chapter 23?

8. How does the claims by other countries affect Bess personally?

9. What is the symbolism of Bess' new home in Watertown?

10. What does the letter from George Baxter represent to Bess?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Telaka exhibit such loyalty toward Bess? Telaka had several reasons for betraying Bess and her family yet she does not. Explain her motives. Do you find it ironic that the "savage" Telaka exhibits more kindness and loyalty to Bess than does her own uncle, "the civilized" John Winthrop? Explain why Bess finds her ultimate peace and serenity in the company of Telaka and not from any sermon of John Winthrop's.

Essay Topic 2

Why does John Winthrop consent to the marriage between Harry and Bess? Does he think they are two-of-a-kind and deserve each other? Or is he forced into approving the marriage because Bess is pregnant? What other options would have been available to Bess at the time? Given what you know about Harry's lifestyle, what choice do you think Bess would have made if she had the options available to young women today?

Essay Topic 3

Does Bess' openness and sense of adventure put her family at risk? Explain her encounters with Indians as an example. Does Bess assume that everyone has authentic motives as she does? Is Bess' naivete a danger to herself or to the colony? Explain.

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