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Probably the single most influential book of the Italian Renaissance was The Prince written by Niccolo Machiavelli. Machiavelli dedicated The Prince to the Medici family who were the rulers of Florence, one of the most powerful Italian city-states. He advised the “prince” to be a patriotic tyrant who would use force and cunning if necessary. His guide to how to rule a state was widely read by kings and queens who would rule Europe in the coming ages.
Machiavelli’s writings and thoughts helped to form many other people’s ideas about government. Read more about this person to see if you agree with his ideas.
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Click below to read a short biography of Machiavelli:
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Assignment 2.04 - Discovering a Treasure of Renaissance Literature - The Prince
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For this assignment, you will first read excerpts from Machiavelli’s The Prince. Then, you will respond to what you read in a 750 word essay.
Read the following excerpts from the Prince.
Click on this site to read Chapter 18 of the Prince:
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http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/REN/PRINCE18.HTM
Click on this site to read additional selections:
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http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/prince-excerp.html.
In a well-organized essay, evaluate Machiavelli’s arguments about the qualities of a successful ruler. Identify the main points Machiavelli supports and include a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of his vision. In addition, analyze the effectiveness of Machiavelli’s ruling style in both Renaissance and modern governments.
Go to the Assignments area to review the rubric that will be used to grade your essay. Write and save your essay in a Word document under the heading Assignment_2.04. Return to the Assignments area and submit your work.
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