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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. American settlers imported most of their technical language from where?

2. After what event was the sovereignty of the people codified in law?

3. Democracy promotes spending energy on what types of tasks?

4. In what does de Tocqueville say American writers find poetry?

5. Power is divided between what two entities in the United States?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to de Tocqueville, why does the United States only produce journalistic literature?

2. In de Tocqueville's observations, what do educated individuals in America read, and how does it relate to their lives?

3. According to the author, what is the reason free people obey laws?

4. According to de Tocqueville, what are the differences between the American and European press?

5. What laws prevailed as the basis of the developing democratic society in the United States?

6. On what single principle does democracy, as a political system, rely?

7. According to de Tocqueville, in a democracy, the people take special interest in the affairs of the government for what reason?

8. What did the government establish in order to maintain the balance of power between the Confederation and the states when the rights of the states were questioned?

9. What are some of the suggestions that equality makes to the beliefs of the American people?

10. What is the unusual political power, based on the Constitution, that the American judicial system holds?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does de Tocqueville define a political association? What role does association have in democracy as de Tocqueville presents it? Is that the same role it has today? Explain your answer using specific examples from today and the book.

Essay Topic 2

Using examples from the book, what are the differences between an aristocratic regime and a democratic regime in terms of governance? Which one does de Tocqueville think is more effective at governing and why?

Essay Topic 3

What are some of the historical influences that have shaped American democracy as de Tocqueville explains it? Use specific examples from the book to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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