View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which states does President Polk want to buy from Mexico to add them to the union?

2. Benito Garza becomes a ___________________.

3. A black man and Floyd Rusk go into the _____________ business together.

4. Which Texan becomes both Vice President and President of the United States?

5. The Mexican army retreats after a few battles at ___________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the situation of illegal alien Eloy Muzquiz and his attempts to immigrate to Texas.

2. Why do the Cobb women not tell their slaves about the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863?

3. What responsibilities does Earnshaw assume for the town and what is it eventually named?

4. What time period does Chapter VII cover?

5. How does Yancey come to own the ten thousand acres owned by the Garza women?

6. How does General Santa Anna deceive the U.S. government through a deal with the Polk administration?

7. Who is named the first U.S. Indian Agent?

8. Why do so many people seem to move to Texas between 1928 and 1968? Who are two famous political men who came from Texas?

9. What years did the Mexican War take place and why is there such lingering hatred between the Texans and Mexicans at this time?

10. Who is R.J. Poteet and what role does he play in the new town?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Personal identity is an important theme in this book. Who were some of the people who had the strongest personalities? What were their personal codes? Which person in the book would you look up to? Who did you think was less exemplary in character? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Create a brief character study of General Santa Anna. What did he look like? What were his positive personality traits? What were some of his negative characteristics? What were his hopes and fears? What motivated him throughout his life?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the significance of the book's title. What does the author mean by calling it simply TEXAS? What was he trying to emphasize with this emphatic style? Suggest three alternate titles for this book with supporting rationale for each one.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 858 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample