Niccolo Machiavelli: The PrinceBackground: One of the most famous political works of the Renaissance era was Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince, in which he analyzed politics in Renaissance Italy. While more power-hungry rulers embraced Machiavelli's work as legitimizing their methods, many attacked the book because of the ideas he advocated.

Excerpts from The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, 1513:

That Which Concerns a Prince on the Subject of the Art of WarThe Prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station to that rank. And, on the contrary, it is seen that when princes have thought more of ease than of arms they have lost their states. And the first cause of your losing it is to neglect this art; and what enables you to acquire a state is to be master of the art.

Concerning Whether it is Better to be Loved than Feared

Upon this a question arises: whether it is better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you successes they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. …for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserved you by a dread of punishment which never fails. Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women.

Concerning the Way in Which Princes Should Keep Faith. . . a wise Prince cannot and should not keep his pledge when it is against his interest to do so and when his reasons for making the pledge are no longer operative. If all men were good, this would be a bad precept, but since they are evil and would not keep a pledge to you, then you need not keep yours to them. (The Prince) must stick to the good as long as he can, but, being compelled by necessity, he must be ready to take the way of evil.

Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. And I shall dare to say this also, that to have them and always to observe them is injurious, and that to appear to have them is useful; to appear merciful, faithful, humane, religious, upright, and to be so, but with a mind so framed that should you require not to be so, you may be able and know how to change to the opposite. Name_______________________ Block________

Machiavelli’s, The Prince: Text Dependent Questions

1. According to Machiavelli, why is understanding the “art of war” an important concept for future and current leaders?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What evidence does Machiavelli give about his opinion of human nature? In other words, what are “people like” according to Machiavelli?_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

3. According to Machiavelli, how can a ruler avoid being hated?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

4. Why does Machiavelli believe it is "safer to be feared than loved"?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

5. Why is it necessary for a leader to be ready to use evil?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

6. Does Machiavelli believe that a leader must be a good person?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Machiavelli’s, The Prince: Writing Section

Could a political leader rule effectively today by following Machiavelli's principles? Be sure to specifically discuss some of Machiavelli’s main ideas in your argument.

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

CLOSE READING TEMPLATE

Objectives: (Content & Curriculum-driven)

Students will be able to assess the validity of Machiavelli’s arguments regarding leadership qualities of an effective ruler.

Complex Text being Read

Quantitative Factors Qualitative Factors

The Prince Lexile: 1360L Content of text is grade level appropriate.

Necessary Background Information

*Remember to only give them what they absolutely need to

understand the text.

Ideally students will already be familiar with the Renaissance and the basic ideas behind political institutions.

Text Dependent Academic Vocabulary

Questions

● According to Machiavelli, why is understanding the “art of war” an important concept for future and current leaders?

● What evidence does Machiavelli give about his opinion of human nature? In other words, what are “people like” according to Machiavelli?

● According to Machiavelli, how can a ruler avoid being hated?

● Why does Machiavelli believe it is "safer to be feared than loved"?

● Why is it necessary for a leader to be ready to use evil?

Tier 2 words:

o Upholdso Contraryo Acquireo Fickleo Covetouso Endureo Abstainso Operativeo Precepto Compelledo Enumerated

Tier 3 words:

o

● Does Machiavelli believe that a leader must be a good person?

Possible Procedure:

(Remember that this is only a framework. You should adapt the framework to make it work for your own content and purposes.)

1. Background Information: Review necessary background information.

2. First Read: Students read the source through one time independently and perform an annotation task (ex. underline central idea, read for gist).

3. First Discussion: Students engage in a broad discussion of the text. (ex. partners, small groups, whole class)

4. Second Read: Students re-read the text to deepen their understanding of the text (ex. teacher read aloud, partner read) while performing another annotation task. (ex. circle confusing words or phrases, placing ? in margin next to confusing passages)

5. Second Discussion: Students engage in a more detail - oriented discussion of the text. (ex. partners, small groups, whole class)

6. Third Read: Students re-read the text and perform an annotation task that will lead them toward answering the objective of the close reading lesson. (ex. EV next to pieces of evidence)

7. Third Discussion: Students engage in a discussion to deepen their understanding of the text and to answer the objective of the close reading lesson.

8. Text-dependent Questions: Students use evidence from the text to answer the text-dependent questions. (Don’t give text-dependent questions

until this point or put them on the back of the paper and tell them not to look at them until instructed to do so.)

9. Review and Discuss or Collect Text-dependent Questions for Assessment (ex. hand out red pens and have students add to their answers to show growth of understanding)

10. Written Piece: Students will create an argumentative, informative or explanatory writing piece that directly relates to the objective. (ex. “What if” statements, short answer, essay)