Question 1

Baroque art became associated with ________.

Accepted Answer

Baroque art evolved in Europe primarily in the context of Roman Catholicism and was used to promote the Counter-Reformation.

Question 2

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,the discoveries that most captured the public imagination were made in ________.

Accepted Answer

During this time period, there were significant discoveries made in the field of astronomy, such as Galileo's telescopic observations and Kepler's laws of planetary motion, which captivated the public's imagination. While there were also important advancements made in medicine, natural history, and chemistry, none were as widely impactful or exciting to the general public as the discoveries in astronomy.

Question 3

In the sixteenth century,midwifery was a trade often pursued by ________.

Accepted Answer

Midwifery was a common trade pursued by elderly or widowed women during the sixteenth century. It was not typically pursued by noble women, merchant's wives, or male barbers.

Question 4

How many people were sentenced to death for witchcraft or harmful magic between 1400 and 1700?

Accepted Answer

While it is difficult to determine exact numbers, scholars estimate that between 70,000 and 100,000 people were sentenced to death for witchcraft or harmful magic during the period of 1400-1700.

Question 5

Although he invented analytic geometry,whose most important contribution was to develop a scientific method that relied more on deduction?

Accepted Answer

Although René Descartes is known for inventing analytic geometry, his most important contribution was developing the scientific method based on deduction. Bacon is also associated with the development of the scientific method but his emphasis was on induction. Newton's most significant contributions were in physics and mathematics, while Kepler's were in astronomy.

Question 6

Nicolaus Copernicus's breakthrough was to show how ________.

Accepted Answer

Copernicus's breakthrough was to propose the heliocentric model, where the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. This was a significant shift from the widely accepted geocentric model, where it was believed that the Earth was the center of the universe and all other celestial bodies revolved around it.

Question 7

Jonathan Swift's satire of the new sciences was ________.

Accepted Answer

Jonathan Swift's satire of the new sciences is most famously represented in his novel "Gulliver's Travels."

Question 8

Galileo believed that all aspects of nature could be described in terms of ________.

Accepted Answer

Galileo believed that the natural world could be described using mathematics and that natural phenomena were governed by mathematical laws.

Question 9

Who is known as the father of empiricism?

Accepted Answer

Francis Bacon is known as the father of empiricism. He believed that knowledge should be based on observation and experimentation, rather than relying solely on tradition or theories. Bacon's ideas heavily influenced the development of the scientific method.

Question 10

Hobbes saw human beings as ________.

Accepted Answer

According to Hobbes' philosophy of human nature, humans are self-centered and power-hungry creatures. He believed that in their natural state, humans would constantly strive for power and resources, leading to conflict and violence. This view of human nature is a key component of Hobbes' justification for the need for a strong, centralized government to maintain order and prevent chaos.

Question 11

The scientific fact that the orbits of the planets are elliptical was discovered by ________.

Accepted Answer

Kepler discovered that the orbits of the planets are elliptical through observations and mathematical calculations. Galileo made observations that supported this idea but did not originally discover it. Brahe made important astronomical observations but did not discover the elliptical shape of orbits. Newton built upon Kepler's work but did not originally discover the elliptical orbits either.

Question 12

Baroque art first emerged in ________.

Accepted Answer

Baroque art first emerged in papal Rome, with a focus on dramatic, emotional, and grandiose themes. It later spread throughout Europe, including Florence and Paris, but its origins are in Rome. Buckingham Palace was not built until the 18th century, long after the Baroque period had ended.

Question 13

Maria Winkelmann made her contributions in the field of ________.

Accepted Answer

Maria Winkelmann is best known for her contributions to astronomy, including her discovery of a comet and her work as an assistant to her husband in astronomical observations.

Question 14

Who addressed the issue of planetary motion and established a basis for physics that endured for more than two centuries?

Accepted Answer

Isaac Newton addressed the issue of planetary motion and established the laws of motion and universal gravitation which formed the basis for physics for more than two centuries. Copernicus proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system, Kepler formulated three laws of planetary motion, and Galileo made important contributions to the study of motion and astronomy, but it was Newton who synthesized these ideas and provided a comprehensive explanation of the laws governing the behavior of the natural world.

Question 15

Who published On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres and rejected the notion of an earth-centered universe?

Accepted Answer

On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres was published by Nicolaus Copernicus and it rejected the notion of an earth-centered universe.

Question 16

What percentage of people accused of witchcraft in the early modern period were women?

Accepted Answer

Scholars estimate that approximately 80 percent of those accused of witchcraft in the early modern period were women. This was due to gendered stereotypes and beliefs that women were more susceptible to the Devil's temptations and more likely to use supernatural powers for malicious purposes.

Question 17

Descartes divided existing things into two categories: body and ________.

Accepted Answer

Descartes divided existing things into two categories: body and mind. He believed that the mind, or soul, was separate from the body and was responsible for human consciousness and reasoning.

Question 18

The experiences of the English Civil War led Thomas Hobbes to summarize his views about strong central government in his book ________.

Accepted Answer

Thomas Hobbes summarized his views about strong central government in his book "Leviathan," which he wrote in response to the English Civil War.

Question 19

Galileo named the moons of Jupiter after the Medicis because ________.

Accepted Answer

Galileo named the moons of Jupiter after the Medicis to flatter his patrons, who were members of the powerful Medici family in Florence.

Question 20

Brahe's assistant was ________.

Accepted Answer

Brahe's assistant was Johannes Kepler. He used Brahe's observations to develop the three fundamental laws of planetary motion.

Quiz 14: New Directions in Thought and Culture in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries