Question 1

The formative group or force in most early modern European states was/were the
A) dynastic king and his court.
B) church.
C) rising class of lawyers.
D) mode of production of the time.
E) people.

Accepted Answer

The dynastic king and his court were the primary formative group in early modern European states. The monarch was the center of political power and his court was the main source of patronage, control, and policy-making.

Answer: B 
 While the church played a significant role in Europe during this time period, it was not the formative group in most states. In some cases, it could be a competing or opposing force to the monarch and his court.

Answer: C 
 The rising class of lawyers, while important in the development of legal systems and institutions, was not the primary formative group in most early modern European states.

Answer: D 
 The mode of production of the time, such as feudalism or capitalism, certainly had an impact on society and politics, but it was not a cohesive formative group.

Answer: E 
 While the people could certainly be a significant force in shaping political and social structures, they were not a coherent group with unified goals and actions.

Question 2

The first intercontinental empire in the West since Roman times was
A) England.
B) Portugal.
C) the Netherlands.
D) Spain.
E) France.

Accepted Answer

The first intercontinental empire in the West since Roman times was Spain, which established its empire in the 16th century with the conquest of territories in the Americas, including modern-day Mexico, Peru, and parts of Central and South America. This was achieved through the explorations of Christopher Columbus, Hernán Cortés, and Francisco Pizarro, among others. Spain's empire also included territories in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Question 3

In the Middle Ages,the power of the king was restricted by all the following EXCEPT
A) the nobility.
B) townspeople.
C) the peasantry.
D) the church.
E) representative institutions.

Accepted Answer

While the nobility, townspeople, church, and representative institutions had power that could limit the king's authority, the peasantry did not have the same level of influence and were largely powerless in comparison.

Question 4

Which of the following weakened the powerful monarchy of Charles V?
A) the conflict with Protestants.
B) the complexity of administering such a large empire.
C) constant warfare on the continent and in the Mediterranean.
D) lack of domestic industry, the lack of entrepreneurship, and a weak commercial class.
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

All of the factors listed weakened the power of Charles V's monarchy. The conflict with Protestants led to rebellions and challenges to his authority. Administering such a large empire was complex and posed challenges in terms of communication, governance, and control. Constant warfare drained resources and stretched the monarchy's capacity to maintain order and control. The lack of domestic industry, entrepreneurship, and a weak commercial class limited economic growth and undermined the monarchy's ability to raise revenue and fund activities. Overall, all of these factors combined to weaken the power of Charles V's monarchy.

Question 5

Medieval French kings did all of the following EXCEPT
A) establishing an efficient bureaucracy staffed by members of the bourgeoisie and lesser nobles, persons dependent on the king.
B) claiming to have been selected directly by God to rule.
C) exercising absolute power.
D) earning the allegiance of many of their subjects through their role in the Hundred Years' War.
E) unilaterally levying taxes and maintaining a standing army.

Accepted Answer

Medieval French kings did not exercise absolute power. The concept of absolute monarchy, where the king has complete control over the government and its policies, became more prominent in France during the 17th century under Louis XIV. In the medieval period, French kings had to contend with the power of the nobility, the church, and other institutions, limiting their ability to rule absolutely.

Question 6

The Reformation had a major political impact on the Holy Roman Empire,among other reasons,because
A) the Protestant emphasis on obedience to secular authorities centralized the Empire into a unified German state.
B) the separation of church and state weakened both.
C) feudal princes and Protestant communities allied to keep the Emperor weak.
D) the resulting wars of religion enabled the Emperor to increase his power, finally breaking the power of feudalism.
E) Protestants effectively turned the Empire into a theocracy.

Accepted Answer

The Reformation led to the fragmentation of the Holy Roman Empire along religious lines, with various Protestant communities and Catholic feudal princes allying to maintain their autonomy and limit the power of the central Emperor. This weakened the centralized power of the Emperor and contributed to the political instability of the Empire.

Question 7

The Spanish empire in the sixteenth century was funded largely by
A) taxes and requisitions from the Netherlands.
B) gold and silver from the New World colonies.
C) the development of iron-working and coal mining in Spain.
D) taxes on the slave trade.
E) new wars of conquest.

Accepted Answer

The Spanish empire in the sixteenth century was funded largely by gold and silver from the New World colonies. The discovery of vast amounts of precious metals in Mexico and Peru allowed Spain to become one of the most powerful nations in Europe, with a vast empire that spread across the globe. The wealth generated by the colonies helped fund Spain's military campaigns, support the royal court, and build grand architecture and public works projects.

Question 8

Which of the following helped usher in the modern world,according to the text?
A) early modern monarchs and the states they created
B) capitalism
C) science
D) commercial expansion
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

All of the factors listed - early modern monarchs and state building, capitalism, science, and commercial expansion - played a significant role in ushering in the modern world as we know it today. Each contributed to important transformations in society, politics, economics, and culture that helped shape the modern era. For example, early modern monarchs helped establish the foundations of modern states and governments, while capitalism spurred economic growth and global trade. Scientific discoveries and advancements revolutionized our understanding of the natural world and paved the way for innovations in technology and industry. And commercial expansion enabled the rise of global empires and the spread of ideas and cultures across borders. Together, these factors helped shape the modern world and set the stage for further developments in the centuries to come.

Question 9

Which of the following are features of the national state that developed in the West from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century?
A) The state had people who could imagine themselves as part of a community.
B) The state encouraged commerce and industry.
C) The state harnessed the power of its nobility.
D) The state became an entity inherited from generation to generation.
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

All the options listed are features of the national state that developed in the West from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century. A) The concept of a national identity began to form, allowing people to imagine themselves as part of a larger community. B) The state played a role in encouraging commerce and industry as part of the economic development. C) The power of the nobility was harnessed and often integrated into the state's structure, providing a form of governance and control. D) The state evolved into an entity that could be passed down from one generation to the next, solidifying the concept of a lasting institution.

Question 10

As Spain declined in the seventeenth century
A) a social revolution threatened.
B) it was able to retain control over Portugal and Brazil.
C) the traditional aristocracy and the church retained power and perpetuated authoritarianism in Spain.
D) it formed closer ties with the Austrian Hapsburgs.
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The traditional aristocracy and the church retained power and perpetuated authoritarianism in Spain. While there were some challenges to their authority, such as the Catalan Revolt, there was no social revolution and Spain ultimately struggled to maintain its overseas territories. Spain also did not form closer ties with the Austrian Hapsburgs, as they were rivals in Europe.

Question 11

With the Treaty of Westphalia,Spain officially recognized the independence of
A) its Italian possessions.
B) Portugal.
C) its New World colonies.
D) the Netherlands.
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The answer of With the Treaty of Westphalia,Spain officially recognized...

Question 12

Which city replaced Antwerp as northern Europe's leasing commercial and banking city?
A) Amsterdam
B) Hamburg
C) London
D) Paris
E) Danzig

Accepted Answer

Amsterdam replaced Antwerp as the leading commercial and banking city in Northern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, due to its favorable location and political stability.

Question 13

Which of the following statements concerning the reign of Philip II is NOT accurate?
A) Philip sent the largest land army ever assembled in Europe into the Netherlands to crush Protestant-inspired opposition.
B) Philip conducted a foreign policy shaped by religious zeal.
C) Philip successfully defeated Protestant England with the use of the Spanish Armada.
D) Spain faced bankruptcy in the 1590s.
E) Philip launched an offensive against the Turks.

Accepted Answer

Philip II did send the Spanish Armada against England, but it was not a successful campaign. In fact, the English defeated the Armada and inflicted heavy losses on the Spanish fleet.

Question 14

How did most monarchies use religion to strengthen their state?
A) Most confiscated Church property to finance their growing armies and administration.
B) Most attempted to make religion one of the forces uniting their subjects into a nation.
C) By separating church and state, monarchies enabled people of different religious beliefs to all pledge allegiance to the same king.
D) Through prayer, kings were able to overcome their enemies.
E) Most presented the state as an alternative to the divisiveness of religion.

Accepted Answer

Most monarchies attempted to make religion one of the forces uniting their subjects into a nation. By promoting a shared religious identity, monarchs could create a sense of national unity and loyalty among their diverse populations. This was often accomplished by promoting a dominant religion and suppressing minority religions, or by creating a national Church that embodied the values and beliefs of the monarch and the state.

Question 15

The two most common forms of government in early modern Europe were
A) absolute monarchy and republican states.
B) limited monarchy and autocracy.
C) republican states and limited monarchy.
D) absolute monarchy and autocracy.
E) autocracy and republican states.

Accepted Answer

Absolute monarchy and republican states were the two most prevalent forms of government in early modern Europe, reflecting the spectrum from centralized power in the hands of a monarch to systems where power was held by elected representatives or a broader citizenry.

Question 16

The development of Spain included all the following EXCEPT
A) continued regionalism even after the unification of Aragon and Castile.
B) the strategic use of marriage for state development.
C) an extremely powerful church that came to dominate the state.
D) the creation of a Spanish identity based on purity of blood and religion.
E) a centuries-long campaign to expel the Muslims for the Iberian Peninsula.

Accepted Answer

While the Catholic Church was certainly influential and powerful in Spain during this time period, it did not come to dominate the state in the way that it did in some other European countries. Instead, the Spanish state and the Catholic Church existed in a complex relationship of cooperation and conflict.

Question 17

The only state that broke with the pattern of king-army-taxes as the key to the creation of a centralized state was
A) Britain
B) the Dutch Republic
C) France
D) Prussia
E) Spain

Accepted Answer

The Dutch Republic implemented a decentralized system of government, with power resting in the hands of the wealthy merchant class rather than a monarch, and relied on trade rather than taxes or military conquest to build a strong state.

Question 18

The crucial difference between a parliament and an estates general was
A) a parliament was English; an estates general was French.
B) a parliament was a representative institution; an estates general was a king's council.
C) a parliament could pass laws; an estates general could not.
D) each member in a parliament had one vote; in an estates general, each estate had one vote.
E) each member of a parliament was elected; only some members of an estates general were elected.

Accepted Answer

Each member in a parliament had one vote; in an estates general, each estate had one vote.

Question 19

The descendents of Ferdinand and Isabella married into which non-Spanish family to create an empire extending from Austria to the Pacific?
A) The Hohenzollerns
B) The Jagiellonians
C) The Stuarts
D) The Hapsburgs
E) The Bourbons

Accepted Answer

The descendants of Ferdinand and Isabella married into the Hapsburgs, which created an empire extending from Austria to the Pacific. The Hapsburgs were a powerful family of European rulers who originated in Austria and went on to control a large part of the continent through marriage alliances and military conquests.

Question 20

The usual founder of a ruling dynasty was
A) an appointee of the Roman Empire.
B) chosen by an assembly of all able-bodied men.
C) the most powerful noble who made his claim to kingship stick.
D) elected by the people.
E) selected by the Church.

Accepted Answer

The usual founder of a ruling dynasty was the most powerful noble who made his claim to kingship stick. This meant that the individual had to assert their power and control over the region through military force or political alliances. It was not typically a matter of appointment, election or religious selection.

Quiz 1: The Rise of Sovereignty: Transition to the Modern State

The formative group or force in most early modern European states was/were the

The first intercontinental empire in the West since Roman times was

In the Middle Ages,the power of the king was restricted by all the following EXCEPT

Which of the following weakened the powerful monarchy of Charles V?

Medieval French kings did all of the following EXCEPT

The Reformation had a major political impact on the Holy Roman Empire,among other reasons,because

The Spanish empire in the sixteenth century was funded largely by

Which of the following helped usher in the modern world,according to the text?

Which of the following are features of the national state that developed in the West from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century?

As Spain declined in the seventeenth century

With the Treaty of Westphalia,Spain officially recognized the independence of

Which city replaced Antwerp as northern Europe's leasing commercial and banking city?

Which of the following statements concerning the reign of Philip II is NOT accurate?

How did most monarchies use religion to strengthen their state?

The two most common forms of government in early modern Europe were

The development of Spain included all the following EXCEPT

The only state that broke with the pattern of king-army-taxes as the key to the creation of a centralized state was

The crucial difference between a parliament and an estates general was

The descendents of Ferdinand and Isabella married into which non-Spanish family to create an empire extending from Austria to the Pacific?

The usual founder of a ruling dynasty was