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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. Which of the following does NOT describe Kate Chase's relationship with her father?

2. Who escorts Lincoln on a tour of Washington?

3. What topic does Sprague talk about when he takes Kate riding?

4. Who is Salmon P. Chase's daughter?

5. Which of the following bad news does Lincoln NOT receive in Chapter 13?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is David Herold shaken when he sees the result of a coded message he had carried but had not been able to deliver?

2. Why is Lincoln forced to hold Cabinet meetings in the Naval Department?

3. What is the Peace Conference and what is the nature of their visit with Lincoln?

4. What perspectives do Chase and Seward hold as the war talk ramps up?

5. What is the issue regarding Lincoln's Kentucky relatives during this time?

6. How can Lincoln's Inauguration Day be considered lackluster?

7. How does Vidal describe Lincoln in the early part of the novel?

8. How are the beginnings of a conspiracy against Lincoln introduced in Chapter 2?

9. Explain the premise of Part 1, Chapters 1-7.

10. What is the nature of Chase's talks with Jay Cooke?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Vidal is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphor, and irony. Briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 2

Mary Todd Lincoln was a fragile woman who loved her husband and family but had a questionable reputation as a First Lady. What was her influence on her husband? What was her position on slavery? How did she alienate people during her time in the White House? How did she avoid some scandal? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Explain Abraham Lincoln's during the time period covered in LINCOLN: A NOVEL. What were his plans upon arriving in Washington, D.C.? What was his personality? What behaviors were instilled in him that would make him a success in his later life?

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This section contains 850 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample