Multiple Choice
Identify the
choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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1.
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What circumstances allow Solomon Northrup to be born a free man (Chapter
1)
a. | Solomon’s mother was a free woman. | c. | Solomon was born in Canada, and his
family migrated to the United States. | b. | Solomon was born after the Civil
War. | d. | Solomon’s father
was a free man. |
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2.
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The following quote is from Chapter 2: “I Wished for Wings” It
states, “By pinching pennies, Solomon and Anne managed to squeak by financially.” Which
of these is an accurate meaning of this phrase?
a. | The Northrups were successful in their furniture business. | c. | The Northrups saved
their money in order to pay bills and other expenses. | b. | The Northrups were financially stable and were
able to afford luxuries. | d. | The Northrups found it difficult to afford the daily expenses they
face. |
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3.
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In which state was Solomon living before he was kidnapped? (Chapter 2)
a. | Canada | c. | Louisiana | b. | New York | d. | Africa |
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4.
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In Chapter 2, Abraham Hamilton and Merrill Brown, the two men who kidnapped
Solomon, claimed they were in need of
a. | a carpenter to build a barn. | c. | a violinist to attract circus
customers. | b. | a carriage driver to transport guests. | d. | a dishwasher for a nearby
hotel. |
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5.
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Why was it important for Solomon to have “free papers”? (Chapter
2)
a. | To prove that he would work for free. | c. | It provided written proof that he
was free. | b. | Free papers were only needed in Northern states. | d. | They weren’t
needed. |
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6.
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On board the ship Orleans, Solomon hatches an escape plan. What went
wrong? (Chapter 2)
a. | Solomon refused to kill another human being. | c. | Solomon could not sneak out without
being discovered. | b. | Solomon, Robert, and Arthur were too closely
guarded to carry out their plan. | d. | Once Robert became ill and died of smallpox, Arthur and Solomon had to abandon the
plan. |
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7.
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Why was Solomon sold for $900--$600 less than what he had sold for before?
(Chapter 3)
a. | He caught smallpox and nearly died. | c. | As a violin player, he wasn’t
as valuable for field work. | b. | He was beaten so severely he had trouble
walking. | d. | Slave owners felt
he was too educated. |
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8.
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In Chapter 4, it was decided that to prevent John Tibaut from once again trying
to kill him, Solomon would be
a. | given solely to William Ford. | c. | given his
freedom. | b. | sold to Tibaut’s cousin. | d. | sold to Edwin
Epps. |
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9.
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How did Solomon’s wife, Anne, learn of his kidnapping? (Chapters 5 &
9)
a. | Through his letter to Henry B. Northrup | c. | His letter to John Manning that was
delivered 12 years after his kidnapping | b. | Clemens Ray escaped and told her before
journeying on to Canada | d. | All
of these |
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10.
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Master Epps whipped his slaves to make sure that they obeyed his rules. Which of
the following would NOT result in a whipping? (Chapter 5)
a. | Showing up to work by sunrise | c. | Stopping work to
rest | b. | Damaging a cotton plant | d. | Talking without permission |
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11.
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How did Epps feel about his 10-year old son’s treatment of slaves?
(Chapter 5)
a. | He is proud that his son is following in his footsteps and learning to be a slave
owner. | c. | He was ashamed that he was teaching his son a poor set of values. | b. | He felt it was
unacceptable to whip older people. | d. | He was proud his son was generous to his slaves. |
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12.
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Using contextual clues: The following quote is from Chapter 5: “A Song of
Peace” It states, “...the number of stripes depending on how deficient they
had been in their day’s work.” Which of the following is the closest definition of the
underlined word?
a. | Not having enough (synonym: unsatisfactory) | c. | Being defiant (synonym:
disrespectful) | b. | A specific amount (synonym: much) | d. | Having too much (synonym:
abundance) |
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13.
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After nine years as a slave, Solomon was able to get a couple of sheets of
paper. What was the next challenge he faced? (Chapter 6)
a. | Since he couldn’t write, finding someone who could write the letter for
him. | c. | Since he didn’t know his address, he was unsure how to address the
letter. | b. | Since Southern postmasters wouldn’t mail letters given to them by slaves,
finding someone to post the letter. | d. | All of these |
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14.
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What element in Samuel Bass’ life can be viewed as influential in relation
to his belief that slavery is wrong? (Chapter 7)
a. | The fact that he knows that slaves are treated like merchandise. | c. | The fact that he is
Canadian. | b. | The fact that he is a carpenter. | d. | The fact that both his parents were
abolitionists. |
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15.
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Why did Louisiana lawmakers agree that Solomon had been wrongfully enslaved and
should be allowed to return home? (Chapter 9)
a. | They were secretly against slavery. | c. | They didn’t think he should
be freed. | b. | They wanted anti-slavery Northerners to see that they were law-abiding and
fair. | d. | They thought he was
already dead. |
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16.
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At the end of the book, Henry B. Northrup tries to have James Birch punished for
knowingly buying Solomon, a free black man from Merrill Brown and Abram Hamilton, and selling him
into slavery. Birch used what outrageous story? (Chapter 9)
a. | Solomon had never told Birch that he was a free man. | c. | Birch claimed to have never seen
Solomon Northrup, so he couldn’t have sold him into slavery. | b. | Birch claimed that
he was the victim and Solomon had pretended to be a slave so Solomon, Merrill Brown, and Abram
Hamilton could make a fortune. | d. | Solomon has a lot of love and respect for his father. |
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17.
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Using contextual clues: The following quote is from Chapter 10: “I Had
Been Restored to Happiness and Liberty” It states, “...Pending their trial,
Russell and Merrill were each released on $5,000 bail...” Determine the ONE closest definition
of the underlined word?
a. | after | c. | before | b. | awaiting, umtil | d. | understanding |
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18.
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Since Solomon was well-spoken, Master Epps was already suspicious that he had
been educated. How did Solomon counter Armsby’s accusation that Solomon had asked him to mail a
letter? (Chapter 6)
a. | Solomon claimed that he couldn’t write a letter without paper and
ink. | c. | Solomon stated that since Epps had failed to hire Armsby as an overseer, he had made
up the story to try and get Epps to reconsider hiring him. | b. | Solomon said that
Armsby was drunk and lying. | d. | All of these |
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Short Answer
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19.
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Based on Chapter 6: “If I Ever Catch You With a Book”, why do you
think Epps ordered Solomon to deliver the punishment to Patsey?
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20.
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In your opinion, why are slave narratives valuable?
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