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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. Overall, what was Epps most concerned about when Solomon fell ill?

2. What was the nature of the meetings that Bass held with Solomon with regard to restoring his freedom?

3. Based on the description of one in Chapter 16, what was a slave driver supposed to do?

4. In general, how did Solomon describe how Bass was regarded by others?

5. Why was Epps upset with the slaves the morning that Lawyer Northrup and the Sheriff arrived at the plantation looking for Solomon?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 15 of the story, what type of festivities did the slaves in Bayou Bœuf enjoy at Christmastime?

2. In Chapter 16 of the book, how did Solomon lead Epps to believe that he was making the slaves work hard in the cotton field?

3. Why did Solomon feels more like a real human being while working for Judge Turner in Chapter 14 of the book?

4. How did the some of the slaves change their appearance at Christmastime in Chapter 15 of the book?

5. In Chapter 17, how did Lew Cheney show that he was not the leader whom he claimed to be among the slaves who were planning to escape to Mexico?

6. In Chapter 19 of the book, how did Solomon and Bass manage to meet secretly with one another to plan how arrangements for restoring Solomon's freedom would be handled?

7. In Chapter 12 of the story, why was the day following a night of Epps drinking especially hard on the slaves?

8. In Chapter 11 of the book, what did Solomon appreciate about the time that he spent at the Ford Plantation following his trek through the Great Pacoudrie Swamp?

9. In Chapter 19 of the book, how did Samuel Bass cooperate with Solomon in terms of helping him get his freedom restored?

10. What type of situations involved long waiting times that Solomon had to endure in Chapter 20 of the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the book, Author Solomon Northrup discussed the fact that planters treated their slaves as property. Northrup described how slave after slave was beaten by his or her planter, to the point of scarring them, thus lowering the slave’s value; or causing immobilization to the point that the slave was no longer able to work.

Should the planters’ behavior in beating their slaves therefore, been considered self-destructive in nature since in essence upon beating their slaves, the planters were reducing the value of or destroying their own property? Please state your position, plus list and discuss the reason(s) upon which you are relying to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

Based on his overall handling of the feud between Solomon and his master, John M. Tibeats, it could be said that Mr. Chapin, who oversaw William Ford’s plantation was a fair and honorable man.

Detail how Mr. Chapin earned the labeling of being fair and honorable. Did he do anything in relation to William Ford to earn that labeling? Specifically, what did he do in relation to the feud between Solomon and John M. Tibeats to gain a fair and honorable status? Did Mr. Chapin do anything or fail to do anything in relation to Ford, Solomon, or Tibeats that might have brought his status into question? If yes, please detail.

Essay Topic 3

In Twelve Years a Slave, Solomon was treated harshly and without respect by white men whom he came in contact with, either through master/slave-type interaction, or through a different type of circumstance or coincidence. On the other side of the coin however, it should be noted that Solomon was also treated well and with respect by white men whom he came in contact with, either through master/slave-type interaction, or through a different type of circumstance or coincidence. In fact, some even took action on his behalf, to restore his rights and privileges as a free man, and even as a slave.

Name two (2) white men who treated Solomon well and with respect. Describe the type of contact and interaction that they had with Solomon that qualified them to be acknowledged in a positive way in their dealings with him.

Also discuss the action that those men took toward helping Solomon restore his rights and privileges as a free man.

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