Question 1

What is the best characterization of the Renaissance compared to the Middle Ages?&#10;A) An abrupt departure from the medieval world&#10;B) A culmination of the medieval world&#10;C) Identical to the medieval world&#10;D) Different only in Italy

Accepted Answer

The Renaissance is characterized as a culmination of the medieval world because it built upon the achievements and advancements of the Middle Ages, including the revival of classical learning, the development of humanism, and the growth of trade and commerce. The Renaissance was a continuation and expansion of the intellectual and artistic foundation laid by medieval scholars and artists. While it did bring about significant changes and innovations, it did not completely depart from the medieval world, as many of its core values, such as religious devotion and feudal hierarchies, remained intact.

Question 2

What events effectively shattered medieval unity? (Select all that apply.)&#10;A) The Protestant Reformation&#10;B) The application of logic to faith&#10;C) The idea of heresy&#10;D) The discovery of the New World

Accepted Answer

A) The Protestant Reformation significantly challenged the religious unity of Europe, leading to the fragmentation of Christianity into multiple denominations. D) The discovery of the New World expanded European horizons, challenging existing worldviews and contributing to the breakdown of the medieval order.

Question 3

What best describes the Renaissance economy?&#10;A) Most capital was in the hands of rural landowners&#10;B) Only the aristocracy had money and power&#10;C) Lower workers earned their fair due after the Black Death&#10;D) Capital was unequally distributed due to the power of guilds

Accepted Answer

During the Renaissance, guilds held significant power in urban centers, controlling trade and production, which led to an unequal distribution of capital.

Question 4

On what might the Renaissance wealthy spend their money specifically to showcase their status? (Select all that apply.)&#10;A) Commissioned art&#10;B) Eastern spices&#10;C) Quality wines&#10;D) Anonymous donations

Accepted Answer

Renaissance wealthy individuals would spend their money on commissioned art to showcase their status as patrons of the arts. They would also import expensive Eastern spices to demonstrate their wealth and access to goods from distant regions. Quality wines were also a popular status symbol, as they were expensive and difficult to produce. Anonymous donations were not typically used to showcase status, as the point was to receive recognition and praise for one's generosity.

Question 5

What was the primary focus of humanism?&#10;A) The value of the individual&#10;B) One's place in the machinery of life&#10;C) The supremacy of the social elite&#10;D) Financial gain

Accepted Answer

The primary focus of humanism was the value of the individual, emphasizing human dignity, potential and achievements. It was a cultural and intellectual movement during the Renaissance that placed great emphasis on classical learning and literature, as well as individualism and human rationality.

Question 6

In what way could humanists best appreciate human experience?&#10;A) Learning a new language&#10;B) Spending time in nature&#10;C) Studying the liberal arts&#10;D) Obtaining a civic position

Accepted Answer

Studying the liberal arts allows humanists to appreciate human experience through examining the complexities and richness of human culture, history, literature, and philosophy. It helps humanists to better understand the human condition and the many facets of human nature.

Question 7

The scholar __________ is usually considered the founder of humanism.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The scholar __________ is usually considered the...

Question 8

In what sense did humanism develop out of the disasters of the fourteenth century?&#10;A) The world made sense and could be properly understood&#10;B) The world was unequivocally dark and depressing&#10;C) In spite of calamities, the present offered opportunities for celebration&#10;D) Nothing mattered at all so appetites could run rampant

Accepted Answer

Humanism emerged as a response to the calamities of the fourteenth century, emphasizing the value of human achievements and the potential for individual growth and improvement, even in the face of adversity. This perspective encouraged a celebration of the present and human potential, rather than despair or nihilism.

Question 9

What notable contribution did humanists make to the appreciation of Classical culture?&#10;A) They recovered and reintroduced ancient texts&#10;B) They were the first to be interested in it&#10;C) They subordinated it to Christian learning&#10;D) They made no notable contribution

Accepted Answer

Humanists played a significant role in the discovery, recovery, and reintroduction of ancient texts, which contributed greatly to the appreciation and study of Classical culture. They believed that knowledge of the classical world could lead to a better understanding of the contemporary world, and their efforts led to a renewed interest in the classics and the birth of the Renaissance.

Question 10

What feature of this fresco best exemplifies new Renaissance artistic trends?&#10;A) The two-dimensionality of the halo&#10;B) The simplification of the trees&#10;C) The exaggeration of the cliff&#10;D) The naturalism of the cloak folds

Accepted Answer

The naturalism of the cloak folds exemplifies the new Renaissance artistic trend of using realism and lifelike representations in art. The folds of the cloak appear to be realistically draped and give a sense of movement to the figure, showing attention to detail and anatomical accuracy.

Question 11

How did Renaissance scholars contribute to publicizing the Classical literary canon? (Select all that apply.)&#10;A) They established lending libraries&#10;B) They translated texts into Greek&#10;C) They copied manuscripts on an unprecedented scale&#10;D) They located ancient texts in monastic libraries

Accepted Answer

The answer of How did Renaissance scholars contribute to publicizing...

Question 12

The invention of the printing press by ___________ enabled the rapid spread of written works.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The invention of the printing press by...

Question 13

What is noteworthy about early printed works?&#10;A) They imitated handmade manuscripts&#10;B) They lacked decorative elements&#10;C) They displayed newly invented fonts&#10;D) They propagated only non-Latin texts

Accepted Answer

The answer of   What is noteworthy about early...

Question 14

What was the Renaissance reaction to the medieval past?&#10;A) Automatic adoption&#10;B) Insistent rejection&#10;C) Devout adoration&#10;D) Indifference

Accepted Answer

The answer of What was the Renaissance reaction to the...

Question 15

The architect ___________ posed the first direct challenge to Gothic architecture with his creation of the domed cathedral of Florence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The architect ___________ posed the first direct...

Question 16

What best expresses the style of Renaissance architecture compared to Gothic?&#10;A) Simple geometric shapes&#10;B) Pointed arches and spires&#10;C) Stained glass windows&#10;D) Excessive statuary

Accepted Answer

The answer of What best expresses the style of Renaissance...

Question 17

What was one negative aspect of humanism?&#10;A) Interest in the liberal arts&#10;B) Glorification of the Classical past&#10;C) Inherent elitism&#10;D) Democratic appeal

Accepted Answer

The answer of What was one negative aspect of humanism?&#10;A)...

Question 18

What remained the dominant institution in European life through the Renaissance?&#10;A) The Church&#10;B) Civic bureaucracies&#10;C) Guilds&#10;D) Universities

Accepted Answer

The answer of What remained the dominant institution in European...

Question 19

The humanist author Giovanni Boccaccio's greatest work is titled ___________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The humanist author Giovanni Boccaccio's greatest work...

Question 20

What does Renaissance rejection of the Middle Ages suggest?&#10;A) Both groups shared an interest in the Classical past&#10;B) Renaissance thinkers bore an underlying admiration for the Middle Ages&#10;C) The two were completely divergent&#10;D) They had more in common than Renaissance thinkers wanted to admit

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does Renaissance rejection of the Middle...

Deck 20: The Renaissance in Medieval Context