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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. ___________ published many newspaper columns and books through donations or self-publication.

2. 12 years out of school, Holmes wrote an article based on ________, the idea that if one does his job correctly and with honor, one should be fulfilled.

3. __________consisted mainly of abolitionists which was shown when it enrolled 34,000 out of 37,000 available men for the war.

4. Holmes' experiences during the war led him to believe that imposing one's beliefs would always lead to __________.

5. _________ was a Vermont Transcendentalist born in 1859 and was close to being socialist in viewpoint.

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened with the job that Wright had with the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac?

2. Why did many people fear the idea of mathematical laws, such as the Law of Errors?

3. What were the two events in Henry Sr.'s life which seem to have changed him and his actions?

4. What business did the Civil War destroy, though it did not interfere with the textile industry in New England?

5. Why did Charles Pierce decide he wanted to found the Metaphysical Club in 1872?

6. Why did John Dewey eventually become interested in philosophy as the main direction of his work?

7. What happened during the Battle of the Wilderness, according to historical records?

8. Why was Boston the financial center for all cotton products in the mid 19th century?

9. What did the experiences Holmes had in the Civil War lead him to believe about the cause of violence?

10. Why did Ernest Holmes join the army in the first place, according to the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pierce decided he wanted to create a theory and a law of randomness which would contradict Darwin and Laplace's theories.

Part 1: Why do you think randomness is an important idea to study?

Part 2: Do you think the human behavior can be predicted with statistics? Why or why not?

Part 3: Do you believe the world has order or is everything completely random? Why?

Essay Topic 2

It is curious that the main characters in this story are men and that the great thoughts of America seem to come only from men.

Part 1: Why do you think this book focused on the ideas of men rather than including more women thinkers?

Part 2: Why do you think women were unable to become a part of the Metaphysical Club?

Part 3: Do you think the author believes women did not contribute anything of value at this time? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

While many people do not realize this, the North was not united in its views before the start of the Civil War with the South.

Part 1: Why didn't the Unionists and the Abolitionists get along during this time?

Part 2: Why do you think the North still decided to take up arms and fight the South during the war?

Part 3: Do you think the North or South should have seceded as a result of the war? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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