Question 1

Who of the following founded the Vatican Library, an institution virtually unrivaled today for its holdings of manuscripts and books?
A) Fra Savonarola
B) Pope Pius I
C) Pope Nicholas V
D) Pope Sixtus IV

Accepted Answer

Pope Nicholas V founded the Vatican Library in the 15th century, and it has since become one of the most important and extensive collections of manuscripts and books in the world.

Question 2

Which of the following Italian states did NOT sign the Peace of Lodi in 1454?
A) Florence
B) Genoa
C) Milan
D) Venice

Accepted Answer

Florence, Milan, and Venice signed the Peace of Lodi in 1454, which was a treaty that ended the decades-long wars between these Italian city-states. Genoa was not a signatory to the treaty.

Question 3

The most significant consequence of Renaissance warfare was the
A) introduction of cannon.
B) use of mercenary soldiers.
C) creation of alliances.
D) development of diplomacy as an alternative to war.

Accepted Answer

D

Question 4

Laura Cereta, in her own defense, claimed that she
A) was superior intellectually to other women.
B) thought just as a man does.
C) was a typical woman in that she is capable of learning.
D) could outthink any man.

Accepted Answer

Laura Cereta did not claim to be superior to other women or men, nor did she claim to think "just as a man does," although she did argue for women's intellectual capabilities and the value of women's education. However, she did not make a specific claim about outthinking men. Instead, she emphasized that she, as an individual woman, was capable of learning and intellectual achievement, without making broader claims about gender differences.

Question 5

The Peace of Lodi, signed in 1454,
A) ended the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
B) brought on several decades of peace in the Italian peninsula.
C) resulted in the expulsion of the French from Italy.
D) made the papacy the most powerful state in Italy.

Accepted Answer

The Peace of Lodi was an agreement signed by five Italian states (Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, and Papal States) to end their ongoing conflicts and establish a balance of power in the Italian peninsula. This led to several decades of relative peace, stability, and economic growth in the region.

Question 6

Which humanistic scholar made himself the leading voice of Florentine Neoplatonism by reconciling Platonic philosophy and Christian teachings?
A) Lorenzo Valla
B) Marsilio Ficino
C) Leonardo Bruni
D) Vittorino da Feltre

Accepted Answer

Marsilio Ficino was the scholar who made himself the leading voice of Florentine Neoplatonism by reconciling Platonic philosophy and Christian teachings. He was a philosopher, theologian, and translator who was a key figure in the development of Renaissance Humanism.

Question 7

The signori in early Renaissance Italy were the
A) paid soldiers of fortune who operated independent armies.
B) advisers to the popes at court in Rome.
C) autocratic rulers of the Italian states.
D) begging monks in the mendicant holy orders.

Accepted Answer

The signori were autocratic rulers in the various city-states of Italy during the early Renaissance. They were not paid soldiers, advisers to the popes, or begging monks in holy orders.

Question 8

The late-fifteenth-century popes
A) initiated a series of reforms aimed at improving the morals of the clergy.
B) supported the conciliar movement.
C) were patrons of Renaissance culture.
D) held aloof from Italian politics.

Accepted Answer

The late-fifteenth-century popes were known for being patrons of Renaissance culture, commissioning artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael to decorate the Vatican.

Question 9

The most prominent center of the early Renaissance was
A) Venice.
B) Rome.
C) Florence.
D) Siena.

Accepted Answer

Florence was the birthplace of the early Renaissance, where humanist ideals and artistic innovations flourished under the patronage of wealthy families such as the Medici. While Venice and Rome also played important roles in the Renaissance, Florence was the most prominent center during the period. Siena was also a center of artistic production in Italy, but it did not have the same impact as Florence.

Question 10

Early Renaissance scholars were especially attracted to the writings of
A) Aristotle.
B) the Stoics.
C) Cicero.
D) the Greek dramatists.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Early Renaissance scholars were especially attracted to...

Question 11

Pope Pius II is remembered as
A) the pope who reformed the monastic orders.
B) the patron of arts for Florentine painters.
C) a scholar and clever political leader.
D) the leader of a plot to unseat the patriarch of Constantinople.

Accepted Answer

Pope Pius II, also known as Enea Silvio Piccolomini, was a renowned scholar and writer, as well as a skilled politician. He wrote extensively on topics such as ethics, history, and politics, and was known for his persuasive oratory skills. He was also a skilled diplomat, negotiating treaties and alliances with various European powers. His political prowess helped to secure the papacy's position as a significant political force during a period of great upheaval and change in Europe.

Question 12

The status of women during the early Renaissance in Italy
A) declined significantly as they lost financial power.
B) did not appreciably improve, despite increased opportunities for education.
C) changed dramatically, as they won new political rights.
D) improved socially, as they were allowed to marry whomever they chose.

Accepted Answer

While there were some exceptions, the status of women during the Renaissance did not see significant improvement overall. Women who received an education were still largely limited to domestic roles, and societal expectations still favored their traditional roles as wives and mothers. Additionally, widespread misogyny continued to restrict women's opportunities and influence.

Question 13

Which literary scholar exposed the Donation of Constantine as a forgery?
A) Laura Cereta
B) Lorenzo Valla
C) Leonardo Bruni
D) Vittorino da Feltre

Accepted Answer

Lorenzo Valla was the literary scholar who exposed the Donation of Constantine as a forgery in his work "De falso credita et ementita Constantini Donatione declamatio" (Declamation Concerning the False Donation of Constantine).

Question 14

Among its other definitions, the term studia humanitatis means
A) practical guidelines for taking care of the socially disadvantaged.
B) humane studies in military warfare.
C) a curriculum for monks who are searching for interpretations of the Bible.
D) a concern with the literary culture of Greco-Roman antiquity.

Accepted Answer

Studia humanitatis refers to a broad education that emphasizes the liberal arts, especially the study of ancient Greco-Roman literature and history. It was a curriculum developed during the Renaissance in order to revive classical learning and cultivate well-rounded individuals.

Question 15

Who was considered the most representative of the Renaissance popes because of his interest in Greek and Roman classics and in writing poetry himself?
A) Pius II
B) Nicholas V
C) Sixtus IV
D) Innocent III

Accepted Answer

Pius II was known for his humanist interests and is considered the most representative of the Renaissance popes because of his deep engagement with Greek and Roman classics and his own contributions to poetry and literature.

Question 16

Which is the term for singing without instrumental accompaniment?
A) a cappella
B) motet
C) imitation
D) chanson

Accepted Answer

A cappella refers to singing without instrumental accompaniment.

Question 17

Who directed the Platonic Academy?
A) Cosimo de' Medici
B) Pico della Mirandola
C) Marsilio Ficino
D) Sandro Botticelli

Accepted Answer

Marsilio Ficino was the director of the Platonic Academy, a philosophical school established by Cosimo de' Medici in Florence during the Italian Renaissance.

Question 18

What was a civic humanist?
A) a civil servant loyal only to the ruling family of an Italian city-state
B) a hired soldier of fortune in charge of the civilians in an Italian city-state
C) a proponent of the idea that an educated citizenry enhanced the civic community
D) a member of a pope's inner circle of advisers

Accepted Answer

A civic humanist believed in the importance of an educated citizenry in enhancing the civic community. They believed that individuals had a responsibility to use their education to serve their city-state and improve society as a whole. This was in contrast to the earlier, more individualistic humanism of the Renaissance which focused on personal development and self-improvement.

Question 19

Ficino, the leader of Florence's Platonic Academy,
A) reconciled Greek and Byzantine thought.
B) harmonized Platonic and Aristotelian thought.
C) wrote a treatise on painting.
D) developed a spiritual interpretation of love.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Ficino, the leader of Florence's Platonic Academy,
A)...

Question 20

Vittorino da Feltre contributed to the early Renaissance as a
A) painter who first used linear perspective.
B) literary scholar who studied comparative texts.
C) sculptor who reintroduced contrapposto.
D) founder of a school for humanistic studies.

Accepted Answer

Vittorino da Feltre was a humanist educator who founded a school in Italy that emphasized classical studies, physical education, and moral development. This approach to education helped to shape the ideals of the early Renaissance, which focused on human potential and the importance of education and personal growth.

Quiz 12: The Early Renaissance: Return to Classical Roots

Who of the following founded the Vatican Library, an institution virtually unrivaled today for its holdings of manuscripts and books?

Which of the following Italian states did NOT sign the Peace of Lodi in 1454?

The most significant consequence of Renaissance warfare was the

Laura Cereta, in her own defense, claimed that she

The Peace of Lodi, signed in 1454,

Which humanistic scholar made himself the leading voice of Florentine Neoplatonism by reconciling Platonic philosophy and Christian teachings?

The signori in early Renaissance Italy were the

The late-fifteenth-century popes

The most prominent center of the early Renaissance was

Early Renaissance scholars were especially attracted to the writings of

Pope Pius II is remembered as

The status of women during the early Renaissance in Italy

Which literary scholar exposed the Donation of Constantine as a forgery?

Among its other definitions, the term studia humanitatis means

Who was considered the most representative of the Renaissance popes because of his interest in Greek and Roman classics and in writing poetry himself?

Which is the term for singing without instrumental accompaniment?

Who directed the Platonic Academy?

What was a civic humanist?

Ficino, the leader of Florence's Platonic Academy,

Vittorino da Feltre contributed to the early Renaissance as a