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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What knowledge is necessary for a Captain to be successful?
(a) The knowledge of the enemy.
(b) The knowledge of sites (geography).
(c) The knowledge of tactics.
(d) The knowledge of deception.

2. What does Machiavelli claim to be the cause of Princes losing inherited power?
(a) Arrogance.
(b) Indifference to their Principality.
(c) Their rejection of laws and ancient institutions.
(d) Incompetence.

3. What does Machiavelli believe to be important to extending the life of what he calls "mixed bodies" (Republics and Sects)?
(a) Providing the means from the state to keep them secure.
(b) Staying in a continual state of war.
(c) Returning to their original principles.
(d) Keeping turmoil alive between common masses.

4. What does Machiavelli cite as Aristotle's three causes of ruin women bring on tyrants.
(a) The demands women make for wealth, food, and houses.
(b) Their seduction of tyrants, distracting their focus, and softening them with parental duties.
(c) Injury tyrants commit on women either by seduction, violence or corruption of marriages.
(d) The influence women have on men, children and families.

5. What does Machiavelli praise of the ancient Roman battlefield tactics?
(a) The ability of the first division to puncture enemy lines so the second and third divisions can over run the command centers.
(b) The ability of the second and third divisions to absorb fallen lines ahead of them and proceed in battle.
(c) The ability of the three divisions to outman enemies and scare them from the battlefields.
(d) The fierceness of the soldiers to dictate the terms of every battle.

6. What type of person does Machiavelli advise against promoting to important positions in a Republic?
(a) Anyone who has been done a notable injury by someone.
(b) Anyone who has avoided war.
(c) Anyone who is ambitious.
(d) Anyone who has killed a rival.

7. What does Machiavelli write will prevent a bad Citizen from working evil in a Republic?
(a) The government taking steps to temporize the bad Citizen.
(b) General disregard for their reputation.
(c) Conspiracy against the bad Citizen.
(d) The absence of corruption.

8. What does Machiavelli consider to be a great sign of weakness in Republic?
(a) When it uses diplomatic skill to cajole the support of other Republics.
(b) When it relies on war to gain new territory.
(c) When it continually keeps armies out of fear of other Republics.
(d) When it provides money to other cities that are weaker than it.

9. On what does Machiavelli believe a Republic must be organized?
(a) The virtu of its Captains who will effectively deceive enemies.
(b) The strength of its armies that can occupy provinces.
(c) On the reputation of Citizens that give benefit to the city and avoid harming it and its liberty.
(d) The wisdom of its Nobles who will know how to use wealth.

10. Who was esteemed as being wise for acting foolish from Livius' history of Rome?
(a) Caesar Junius.
(b) Junius Caesar.
(c) Junius Brutus
(d) Octavious Brutus.

11. Why does Machiavelli consider the public a better judge than Princes for who should occupy public offices.
(a) Because Princes are too easily distracted by women.
(b) Because the public is swayed by true Nobility.
(c) Because Princes play favorites.
(d) Because the public is guided by what others say of a candidate beyond publicly known acts.

12. What does Machiavelli recommend that prudent men avoid?
(a) Corruption and lies.
(b) Deceit and war.
(c) Idleness and peace.
(d) Threatening and injuring anyone with words.

13. What does Machiavelli recommend as the three ways to restore a divided city?
(a) Build a wall between the combatants, place soldiers between their neighborhoods, and prevent them from passing among each other.
(b) Kill the leaders, conscript the men to the military, take the women into slavery.
(c) Dividing the city's wealth among the factions, sending them to colonies, conscripting them to the military.
(d) Kill the leaders of tumults, remove them from the city, or have them make peace.

14. How many commanders does Machiavelli advise over an army?
(a) One for battle and one for negotiation.
(b) A tribunal.
(c) One for each division.
(d) One.

15. Why does Machiavelli claim that Princes should not complain of faults of People under their authority?
(a) Because such faults result either from their negligence or because they are stained by similar faults.
(b) Because the insults will encourage conspiracy.
(c) Because the People will become indignant of the criticism.
(d) Because doing so will blind the Prince to conspiracy.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Machiavelli credit with protecting Rome from the ambitions of the Tribunes?

2. What is Machiavelli's preferred military department?

3. Why does Machiavelli believe that leaders of his time refuse to follow the examples of dealing with tumults set by leaders of ancient times.

4. What has Machiavelli considered many times to be the causes of good and bad fortunes to men?

5. What are the two things that give an army confidence according to Machiavelli?

(see the answer keys)

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