Study Guide for :Facundo: Or, Civilization and Barbarism & Comprehension Test

Facundo: Or, Civilization and Barbarism
by Domingo F. Sarmiento
About_
This study guide accompanies Domingo F. Sarmiento’s ‘Facundo: Or, Civilization and Barbarism,’ a foundational
work of Argentine literature that traces the rise of the caudillo Juan Facundo Quiroga against the backdrop of
Argentina’s struggle between rural barbarism and urban civilization. Students will move chapter by chapter
through the terrain, the gaucho way of life, the revolutionary wars, and the violent careers of Facundo and Rosas.
Each chapter section includes factual comprehension questions with an answer key, as well as critical thinking
questions that push students to evaluate Sarmiento’s arguments and biases. This study guide contains 182
questions across 14 chapter sections (140 Factual + 42 Critical), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character
Focus Activity.
What’s Included_
This study guide features 14 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (140 total), 14 sets of 3 Critical
Analysis Questions (42 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence
prompt + critical thinking question).
Target Grades_
Grades 10-12
Teacher Note_
This guide is designed to help students track the dense cast of historical figures and political factions in Sarmiento’s
classic while pushing them beyond simple recall into genuine critical engagement with his arguments. The
chapter-by-chapter structure builds comprehension steadily, and the critical questions are built to spark real
classroom discussion about bias, power, and historiography. We hope it saves you preparation time while giving
your students a rich, guided path through a challenging and rewarding text.