Question 1

The first emperor of a united Germany was:

Accepted Answer

Wilhelm I was the king of Prussia who became the first emperor of a united Germany in 1871 after victories in the Franco-Prussian War. Wilhelm II was his successor and ruled until the end of World War I. Friedrich Wilhelm I and Wilhelm Friedrich II were both kings of Prussia but did not become emperor of Germany. Otto II was a Holy Roman Emperor in the 10th century and is not relevant to the history of a united Germany in the 19th century.

Question 2

As a result of the Crimean War:

Accepted Answer

The Crimean War resulted in Russia losing its influence in the Balkans rather than gaining control over it. The war weakened Russia's position in Europe, leading to significant geopolitical changes as the Ottoman Empire received support from European powers, while Russia's influence in the region waned.

Question 3

The incident that began the Franco-Prussian War was:

Accepted Answer

The Franco-Prussian War was sparked by the Ems Dispatch, a telegram edited by Otto von Bismarck to provoke France into declaring war on Prussia.

Question 4

Bismarck was appointed to the post of minister-president of Prussia in 1862 because:

Accepted Answer

Kaiser Wilhelm I needed Bismarck to control a liberal Parliament. Bismarck had a reputation for being a strong and ruthless politician who was capable of pushing through unpopular policies, which made him attractive to the king who was struggling to assert his authority over the Prussian Parliament. Bismarck's conservative and nationalist views also aligned with those of the king, making him a natural choice for the post of minister-president.

Question 5

Although the term Realpolitik was closely associated with Otto von Bismarck,it was coined by the former German revolutionary:

Accepted Answer

The term Realpolitik was coined by August Ludwig von Rochau, a German politician and journalist who was a former revolutionary. Although the term became closely associated with Bismarck's policies, it was first used in Rochau's 1853 book Grundsätze der Realpolitik angewendet auf die staatlichen Zustände Deutschlands (Principles of Realpolitik Applied to the State of Germany).

Question 6

One result of the Seven Weeks' War in 1866 was that:

Accepted Answer

One result of the Seven Weeks' War was that Austria was forced to give up all claims to Schleswig and Holstein, which were annexed by Prussia. This helped to solidify Prussia's position as the dominant power in Germany and paved the way for the eventual unification of Germany under Prussian leadership.

Question 7

When Frederick William IV succeeded to the throne in 1840 he:

Accepted Answer

Frederick William IV sent an army to crush a revolt of textile weavers in Silesia. This action shows that he did not support constitutionalism and was willing to use force to maintain his power and authority. None of the other answer choices accurately describe his actions during his reign.

Question 8

In the aftermath of the 1848 revolution,Frederick William of Prussia rejected a new constitution.Two years later,he accepted a constitution that allowed for the election of a Parliament with voting based on:

Accepted Answer

The constitution that Frederick William of Prussia eventually accepted allowed for the election of a Parliament with universal male suffrage, although votes were weighted based on taxes paid. This meant that while all men could technically vote, those who paid more taxes had a greater say in the outcome of elections.

Question 9

All were components of Italian unification except:

Accepted Answer

Francis II, king of the Two Sicilies, opposed Italian unification and was a major obstacle in the process. His resistance to Piedmont-Sardinia's attempts to unify Italy led to several years of conflict between the two states, including the expedition of Giuseppe Garibaldi to capture the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Question 10

Central to the Jeffersonian Revolution included all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

The Jeffersonian Revolution did not include a desire to stimulate commerce through central banking institutions. This platform was more aligned with the Federalist Party and was opposed by Thomas Jefferson and his followers.

Question 11

Democrats under Andrew Jackson campaigned for:

Accepted Answer

Democrats under Andrew Jackson campaigned for universal suffrage for white males, which meant expanding voting rights beyond just property owning white males.

Question 12

The expression the "Eastern Question" refers to the:

Accepted Answer

The Eastern Question refers to the complex geopolitical and diplomatic issues that arose in the 18th and 19th centuries regarding the fate of the Ottoman Empire, which was losing its grip on southeastern Europe. European powers, including Russia, France, and Great Britain, competed for influence in the region, leading to conflicts and wars.

Question 13

The American Civil War resulted in many changes for the United States,among which were the abolishment of slavery,a rapid expansion of the national economy,and:

Accepted Answer

The Civil War established the supremacy of the federal government over states' rights, as evidenced by the Civil War Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th) to the Constitution, which barred slavery, granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to African Americans, and protected their voting rights. This shift in power from the states to the federal government had far-reaching consequences for the future of the country.

Question 14

The Franco-Prussian War was waged:

Accepted Answer

The Franco-Prussian War was the final stage in Bismarck's plan for German unification. Bismarck used the war as a pretext to unify Germany under Prussia's leadership and to entrench the power of the Hohenzollern dynasty. The war resulted in the defeat of France and the creation of the German Empire in 1871. The annexation of Schleswig and Holstein, which was one of the causes of the war, had already been achieved in 1866, through the Austro-Prussian War.

Question 15

In the nineteenth century,both the United States and Russia shared a similar problem in building their respective nations,which was:

Accepted Answer

Both the United States and Russia had to address the issue of forced labor, with the United States facing the challenge of abolishing slavery and Russia dealing with the system of serfdom.

Question 16

Bismarck's quest for a united Germany required that he:

Accepted Answer

Bismarck believed that limited wars would strengthen Prussia's position and eventually lead to the unification of Germany. He used wars against Denmark, Austria, and France to gradually expand Prussian territory and increase its power, while also gaining the support of other German states who saw the benefits of unification under Prussian leadership. Diplomacy also played a role, as Bismarck skillfully negotiated alliances and agreements with other European powers to prevent them from intervening in his plans for German unification.

Question 17

The Second Empire in France was founded in 1852:

Accepted Answer

The Second Empire in France was established after a majority vote of the people in a plebiscite, which approved Louis Napoleon's transition from President to Emperor Napoleon III.

Question 18

The decree emancipating 22 million Russian serfs in 1861:

Accepted Answer

While the decree emancipating Russian serfs in 1861 was a significant change, it was difficult to enforce and its effects were limited. The landowners were not compensated, and the serfs remained tied to their former masters through debts and obligations. The power of the peasant commune, or mir, was not significantly reduced, and while some former serfs became farmers, many remained agricultural laborers. The industrialization of Russia did not occur rapidly due to the emancipation decree.

Question 19

Karl Marx summarized the relationship between Napoleon Bonaparte and _________ by stating: "All facts and personages of great importance in world history occur twice ...the first time as tragedy,the second as farce."

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx specifically references Napoleon Bonaparte and Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III) as the two figures who represent the recurrence of important historical figures and events as tragedy and farce.

Question 20

One result of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 was the:

Accepted Answer

One result of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 was the uniting of Venetia with the rest of Italy. Prior to the war, Venetia was under Austrian control. However, as a result of the war, Austria was forced to cede the region to Italy. This helped to further the process of Italian unification, which had been ongoing since the mid-19th century.

Quiz 12: Revolutions and Nation Building, 1848-1871