Deck 1: Critical Issues in Historical Studies

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a contribution from Benjamin Rush?

Answer 1

The discovery of electricity is NOT a contribution from Benjamin Rush. This discovery is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Rush was a prominent physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, and educator. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a civic leader in Philadelphia, where he was a pioneer in medical education, but he did not discover electricity.
To provide a general answer, some of the notable contributions made by Benjamin Rush include:
1. Signatory of the Declaration of Independence: Rush was a signer of this pivotal document in American history.
2. Medical Contributions: He was a prominent physician and is often referred to as the "Father of American Psychiatry." He wrote the first American textbook on psychiatry and was a pioneer in the field.
3. Advocacy for Public Education: Rush was a strong proponent of public education and believed it was essential for the success of the republic.
4. Social Reforms: He was an early advocate for the abolition of slavery and for the humane treatment of the mentally ill.
5. Public Health: Rush was influential in the field of public health and stressed the importance of cleanliness and sanitation to prevent disease.
If you provide a list of specific options, I can identify which one is NOT a contribution from Benjamin Rush.

Question 2

The German term Ortgeist is relevant to the problem of causality in history. The term refers to

A)the spirit of the time
B)the spirit of the place
C)the causal role of persons in history
D)the importance of emphasizing biographical studies in history

Answer 2

the spirit of the place

Question 3

The German term Zeitgeist is relevant to the problem of causality in history. The term refers to

A)the spirit of the time
B)the spirit of the place
C)the causal role of persons in history
D)the importance of emphasizing biographical studies in history

Answer 3

the spirit of the time

Question 4

The belief that history has no identifiable or universal meaning is

A)the linear-progressive hypothesis
B)the chaos hypothesis
C)the linear-regressive hypothesis
D)the cyclical hypothesis

Question 5

An individual who believes that the human situation is continually improving over time and generations accepts

A)the linear-progressive hypothesis
B)the chaos hypothesis
C)the linear-regressive hypothesis
D)the cyclical hypothesis

Question 6

The term presentism, as used in the text, refers to

A)the correspondence between a historical narrative and the events of the past that it describes
B)the difficulties of separating historical facts from present perspectives
C)the attempt to understand the past for its own sake
D)the belief that past traditions and values are always superior to present values

Question 7

The kind of objectivity we might reasonably expect of historical writing is that objectivity characterized by

A)correspondence between a historical narrative and the events of the past
B)an honest attempt to provide all sides of an issue
C)an attempt to simply chronicle the events of the past
D)the attempt to leave all feeling out of the historical narrative

Question 8

There are many definitions of history. The definition preferred by the authors of your text is that history is

A)the interpretive study of the events of the human past
B)the chronology of the events that provide the raw material for the historian
C)the scientific study of the past
D)all of the above

Question 9

According to the text, history has an explanatory component. The explanatory component includes

A)attempts by historians to make sense of the data they collect
B)attempts by historians to define history
C)chronological records
D)data such as unpublished letters, newspaper accounts, etc.

Question 10

According to the text, history has an empirical component. The empirical component includes

A)attempts by historians to make sense of the data they collect
B)only those rare instances when historians conduct experiments
C)explanations offered by historians
D)data such as unpublished letters, diaries, etc.

Question 11

In a broad and philosophical sense, the term historiography refers to

A)philosophical questions about history
B)philosophical questions about historical methodology
C)characteristics of a body of historical writings
D)all of the above

Question 12

Each of the following is a reason to study history EXCEPT

A)history encourages a narrow perspective
B)history teaches a healthy skepticism
C)history teaches humility
D)history is a key to understanding the future

Question 13

As a self-conscious formal discipline, psychology is

A)about 300 years old
B)little more than 100 years old
C)only 50 years old
D)almost 500 years old

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a criticism of humanistic psychology?
.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a legitimate criticism of humanistic psychology?
.

Question 16

When considering the forces that shape history one must be cautious to avoid hagiography, the

A)tendency to attribute historical change to only impersonal forces
B)tendency to give individuals excessive credit for historical developments
C)tendency to ignore the interplay between individuals and context
D)tendency to emphasize an internalist perspective