Question 1

"Renaissance" thinkers and artists considered their period a time of "rebirth" (the literal meaning of the word in the _______ language).

Accepted Answer

The term "Renaissance" originates from the French language, where it literally means "rebirth." This term was used to describe the period of significant cultural, artistic, and intellectual revival in Europe, marking the transition from the Middle Ages to Modernity.

Question 2

Humanism was an intellectual movement focused on human culture, in such fields as philosophy, philology, and literature, and based on the corpus of ___________ texts.

Accepted Answer

Humanism, particularly during the Renaissance, emphasized the study and revival of Greek and Roman texts, which were considered the pinnacle of classical civilization and thought. This focus on ancient literature, philosophy, and art was central to the movement's ideals of exploring human potential and achievements.

Question 3

Copernicus began his studies at the University of __________, the only eastern European school to offer courses in astronomy.

Accepted Answer

Copernicus began his studies at the University of Kraków, which was the only eastern European school at the time to offer courses in astronomy.

Question 4

As a proponent of Copernican heliocentrism, Galileo seemed to contradict the passage in the Hebrew Bible's Book of ___________, in which God stops the sun in the sky for a day.

Accepted Answer

The passage in question is found in the Book of Joshua, specifically Joshua 10:13, where it is said that the sun stood still in the sky to allow the Israelites more time to defeat their enemies. This was seen as contradictory to the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus and supported by Galileo, which posits that the Earth revolves around the Sun, not the other way around.

Question 5

Isaac Newton's ___________ Principles of Natural Philosophy, published in 1687, was the towering achievement of the New Sciences.

Accepted Answer

Isaac Newton's "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy," often referred to by its Latin title "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica," laid the foundations for classical mechanics, introducing laws of motion and universal gravitation.

Question 6

Coffeehouses allowed the literate urban public to meet, read __________, and exchange ideas.

Accepted Answer

Coffeehouses were popular venues for reading daily newspapers, among other activities, as they provided a space for the literate urban public to gather, read, and discuss current events and ideas.

Question 7

Because _________ universities and scientific academies refused to admit women, in contrast to their counterparts in other countries, the salon became a bastion of well-placed and respected female scholars.

Accepted Answer

French universities and scientific academies historically refused to admit women, making salons important venues for intellectual women to exchange ideas and gain respect.

Question 8

A mathematician and assistant of Galileo, Evangelista Torricelli experimented with mercury-filled tubes to lay the groundwork for the first ___________.

Accepted Answer

Evangelista Torricelli is credited with inventing the barometer in 1643, an instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, which laid the foundation for the field of meteorology.

Question 9

The Jewish community of ___________ excommunicated Baruch Spinoza for heresy, since he seemed to make God immanent in the world.

Accepted Answer

The Jewish community of Amsterdam excommunicated Baruch Spinoza for heresy due to his philosophical views, which were seen as equating God with nature, thereby challenging the traditional Jewish conception of God as transcendent and separate from the natural world.

Question 10

The portolan (nautical chart) drawn by Pedro Reinel is the earliest known map to include _____________.

Accepted Answer

Pedro Reinel's portolan chart is the earliest known map to include lines of latitude, marking a significant advancement in navigation and cartography.

Question 11

Martin Luther protested the sale of indulgences in ________ with 95 theses addressed to his archbishop.

Accepted Answer

Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses in 1517, which protested against the sale of indulgences and other practices of the Catholic Church, sparking the Protestant Reformation.

Question 12

Despite his appearance in the city in 1536, it was well into the 1550s before John Calvin's form of Protestantism prevailed in __________.

Accepted Answer

John Calvin's form of Protestantism, known as Calvinism, became predominant in Geneva in the 1550s. Calvin established a theocratic state in Geneva, which became a center for Protestant reform throughout Europe.

Question 13

On St. _______'s Day in August 1572, the Catholic king and aristocracy of France perpetrated a wholesale slaughter of thousands of Huguenots.

Accepted Answer

The event is known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, which occurred on August 24, 1572, when French Catholics targeted Huguenots (French Calvinist Protestants) in a violent wave of mob attacks.

Question 14

Spain refused to recognize the "United Provinces of the ____________ Republic" until 1648.

Accepted Answer

Spain refused to recognize the "United Provinces of the Dutch Republic" until the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic.

Question 15

The main goal of Gustavus II Adolphus's intervention in the Thirty Years' War was the creation of a Swedish-_________ centralized state around the Baltic Sea.

Accepted Answer

Gustavus II Adolphus, the King of Sweden, intervened in the Thirty Years' War primarily to support Protestant causes, specifically the Lutheran faith, and to expand Swedish influence around the Baltic Sea, aiming to create a Swedish-Lutheran centralized state.

Question 16

Despite the appearance of his beaming benevolence at Versailles, the "absolutist" rule of ____________ was a complex mixture of centralized and decentralized forces.

Accepted Answer

Louis XIV of France, known for his absolutist rule, is the correct answer. His reign is often associated with the phrase "L'etat, c'est moi" (I am the state), illustrating his centralized control. However, his governance also involved a complex system of local and regional authorities, which added a decentralized aspect to his rule. The reference to Versailles, his grand palace, further confirms Louis XIV as the correct answer.

Question 17

The Danish mariner Peter von Sivers rose to the position of admiral in the _________ fleet.

Accepted Answer

Peter von Sivers rose to the position of admiral in the Russian fleet.

Question 18

A member of the _________ family of rulers, Frederick II "the Great" of Prussia enlarged his army and pursued an aggressive foreign policy.

Accepted Answer

Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, was a member of the Hohenzollern family. The Hohenzollerns were the ruling dynasty of Prussia, and under Frederick II's leadership, Prussia became a major European power through military expansion and strategic diplomacy.

Question 19

In 1649, a group of 70 mostly landless farmers and day laborers occupied "common" land about 25 miles south of ________ and set up a communal farm there.

Accepted Answer

In 1649, a group known as the Diggers, who were mostly landless farmers and day laborers, occupied common land near London, specifically on St. George's Hill in Surrey, to set up a communal farm. This was part of a broader movement advocating for social justice and the common ownership of land.

Question 20

Acquiring wealth with the help of money and thereby perhaps gaining a glimpse of one's fate became one of the hallmarks of ____________.

Accepted Answer

Calvinism, associated with the teachings of John Calvin, is known for the concept of predestination, where one's fate is predetermined by God. This belief led to the idea that success and wealth could be signs of being among the elect or chosen by God, making the acquisition of wealth a potential indicator of one's divine fate.

Quiz 17: The Renaissance, New Sciences, and Religious Wars in Europe, 1450-1750

"Renaissance" thinkers and artists considered their period a time of "rebirth" (the literal meaning of the word in the _______ language) .