Question 1

In the decades after 1870, most Western governments made elementary education mandatory through state-run systems.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true.

Question 2

Because of the increased employment opportunities for women as clerks, typists, secretaries, and salesclerks, prostitution almost entirely disappeared from Europe's largest cities.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. While there was a decrease in prostitution in some areas, it did not entirely disappear and continued to be a prevalent issue in many cities throughout Europe.

Question 3

A new development in the age of mass leisure was

Accepted Answer

Professional sports emerged as a new development in the age of mass leisure, with organized leagues, teams, and competitions attracting large crowds and creating a new form of entertainment and social identity. While other forms of leisure such as the theater, carnival, and alcohol consumption also existed, professional sports had a unique impact on modern culture and society.

Question 4

The policy pursued by Russia's Alexander III and Nicholas II after the assassination of Alexander II was a policy of

Accepted Answer

The policy pursued by Alexander III and Nicholas II after the assassination of Alexander II was a policy of autocracy. They believed in maintaining absolute power and suppressing any opposition. They also pursued a policy of Russification, promoting the Russian language and culture over other ethnic groups within the empire. This policy was characterized by strict censorship of the press, education, and other public spheres.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best applies to Austria-Hungary before World War I?

Accepted Answer

The nationality problem, which involved tensions between the various ethnic groups within the empire, remained unresolved and was a major factor in the buildup to World War I. None of the other statements accurately describe the situation in Austria-Hungary before the war.

Question 6

Although the German Reichstag was elected on the basis of universal male suffrage, it had little power because government ministers were responsible to the emperor rather than the parliament.

Accepted Answer

The German Reichstag did have universal male suffrage, but government ministers were responsible to the emperor rather than the parliament, which limited the power of the parliament.

Question 7

Which of the following statements best applies to Spain and Italy in the late nineteenth century?

Accepted Answer

Both Spain and Italy remained second-rate European powers in the late nineteenth century and were less transformed by the economic and cultural innovations of the age. They did not have the preeminence in colonial power or industrial middle-class societies as some of the other European nations. Italy's unification was not vigorously supported by the pope either. Spain had lost its status as a great power after its decline during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Question 8

The English Reform Act of 1884

Accepted Answer

The English Reform Act of 1884 gave agricultural workers the right to vote, which was a significant expansion of the electorate. However, it did not enfranchise women and did not increase the number of members in the House of Commons. While it may have increased middle-class representation in Parliament, this is not a definitive outcome of the Act.

Question 9

The Boulanger Crisis in France had the end result of

Accepted Answer

The Boulanger Crisis ultimately rallied French citizens to the cause of the Republic, as it exposed the dangers of political extremism and the potential for a military dictatorship, thereby strengthening republican sentiments among the populace.

Question 10

The mass society of the late nineteenth century primarily benefited the middle classes, with the lower classes reaping few if any rewards.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The mass society of the late nineteenth...

Question 11

After 1870, Britain regained its position as the industrial leader of Europe.

Accepted Answer

After 1870, Britain began to lose its position as the industrial leader of Europe to countries like Germany and the United States, which were rapidly industrializing and innovating.

Question 12

Louis Napoleon's Second Empire was brought to an end by

Accepted Answer

Louis Napoleon's Second Empire was brought to an end by France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. The war exposed the weakness of his regime and led to his capture by the Prussians, effectively marking the end of his reign.

Question 13

Which statement best applies to the Germany under chancellor Otto von Bismarck?

Accepted Answer

Bismarck was known for his use of coalitions, often switching between alliances to achieve his goals. He believed in Realpolitik, which emphasized practical rather than ideological solutions to political problems.

Question 14

In 1898, Spain defeated the United States in the Spanish-American War, hence breaking Cuba free from the United States.

Accepted Answer

This statement is incorrect. It was actually the United States that defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War in 1898, and as a result, Cuba became a protectorate of the United States rather than being made independent.

Question 15

Between 1850 and 1900, Britain and Germany doubled, perhaps tripled, their national incomes, and real wages in Britain increased by two-thirds during that period.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Between 1850 and 1900, both Britain and Germany experienced significant economic growth and their national incomes doubled, possibly even tripled. In addition, real wages in Britain increased by two-thirds during that same time period.

Question 16

Splits between the French working and middle classes

Accepted Answer

The brutal suppression of the Paris Commune in 1871 widened the splits between the French working and middle classes. The Third Republic did not solve these splits, although it did establish a strong parliamentary system of government. The idea of electing a new monarch was not a central issue in this context, and the threat of Prussian aggression did not directly impact these socio-economic divisions.

Question 17

Because of bad living conditions in cities, rural populations increased while urban populations decreased in the late nineteenth century.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. In reality, urban populations increased dramatically during the late nineteenth century due to industrialization and the growth of cities as centers of industry and commerce. However, many poor and working-class residents lived in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, leading to a host of urban social problems. Some people did move to rural areas during this time for various reasons, including the Homestead Act and opportunities in agriculture or mining, but the overall trend was toward urbanization.

Question 18

Under the chancellorship of Bismarck, Germany

Accepted Answer

Under the chancellorship of Bismarck, Germany passed social welfare legislation in order to appease workers and prevent them from joining the Social Democrats. This included the introduction of health and accident insurance, retirement pensions, and workers' compensation. However, Germany did not realize the growth of a real democracy through universal male suffrage under Bismarck's rule, nor did it engage in a crusade to make Catholicism the national religion. Germany did maintain a strong military, but it was not the only country to do so. Finally, while Germany did engage in some territorial expansion, it did not constantly threaten to invade its neighbors under Bismarck's rule.

Question 19

Some socialists believed that Karl Marx was wrong in advocating violent revolution, arguing instead that forming political parties and participating in the democratic political process could achieve socialism.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Some socialists, particularly those who followed the ideas of Eduard Bernstein, believed in achieving socialism through peaceful and democratic means rather than violent revolution. This approach is known as revisionist socialism.

Question 20

By the late nineteenth century, the middle-class had merged with the lower class, making the two indistinguishable.

Accepted Answer

The middle-class did not merge with the lower class, and they were still distinguishable from each other in the late nineteenth century. However, there were changes in the composition and size of the middle class during this time period.

Quiz 23: mass Society in an "Age of Progress," 1871-1894