View a FREE sample

This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Book One, The Development of Rome's Constitution, The Use and Abuse of Dictatorship, The Road to Ruin, Sundry Reflections Based on the Decemvirate.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who were the Decemvirs?
(a) The 12 Nobles who the Caesars appointed to help him manage the Empire.
(b) Ten citizens created by the Roman people to make the laws in Rome.
(c) Courtiers who gathered around the Caesars to protect them during times of festivals.
(d) Officials who took their power in the last month of the year.

2. According to Machiavelli, how did the Agrarian Laws violate the foundation of well-ordered Republics?
(a) Agrarian laws distributed land from those who had more than the law allowed among plebes rather than among Nobles with which they could enrich themselves.
(b) Agrarian laws allowed Nobles to take land from Plebes with the intent to increase the land's productivity.
(c) Agrarian laws allowed the government to decide what was to be grown on land in spite of the expertise of the land owner.
(d) Agrarian laws allowed land owners to use their land to help the poor become wealthy.

3. Of what should Princes be most ashamed in Machiavelli's view?
(a) Consuming his wealth in debauchery.
(b) Lacking their own soldiers for defense and offense.
(c) Missing opportunities to conquer other cities.
(d) Being discovered to be self-absorbed and not devoted to building the strength of their cities.

4. What did Machiavelli suggest is the advantage of settling in areas that were "sterile" (barren)?
(a) The isolation from more fertile areas allow for greater freedom.
(b) The poverty of resources would require those living there to have less cause for discord.
(c) Residents of sterile areas become more creative and develop technologies that can be sold to more fertile areas.
(d) Barren areas stand at crossroads between fertile areas so they can control trade between prosperous cities.

5. From what did Machiavelli develop the information that he wrote into "The Discourses"?
(a) From his world travels to study governments in other cultures.
(b) From research that he did in the many libraries throughout the former Roman Empire.
(c) From interviews with political thinkers of the day.
(d) From long experience and continuous study of worldly affairs.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Machiavelli identify as the cause of conspiracy against a hereditary Princes?

2. What support did Machiavelli use for his view of what he considers to be the worst example provided by leaders?

3. According to Machiavelli, what caused the Roman Republic to form?

4. What historical records did Machiavelli use to support his point for keeping two important items out of peril?

5. What can be inferred of Machiavelli's view of freedom based upon reading view of weak and strong Princes?

(see the answer key)

This section contains 621 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample