Question 1

The American colonies are best described as which of the following at the start of the American Revolution?
A) United
B) Divided
C) Apathetic
D) Conservative
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

The American colonies were divided at the start of the American Revolution. While some colonists supported the revolution and independence from Great Britain, others remained loyal to the British crown. There were also internal divisions within each colony, such as between wealthy merchants and farmers. These divisions made it difficult for the colonies to unite and effectively resist British rule.

Question 2

Which of these popular documents revealed how inflamed the colonists had become?
A) Common Sense
B) Poor Richard's Almanac
C) The Navigation Acts
D) The Articles of Confederation
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

Of all forms of government, which of the following would the eighteenth-century liberals have been most apt to support?
A) Anarchy.
B) Absolute monarchy.
C) Parliamentary democracy.
D) Absolute democracy.
E) Constitutional monarchy.

Accepted Answer

Eighteenth-century liberals favored a constitutional monarchy, which limited the power of the monarch through a written constitution and protected individual rights and freedoms. This form of government allowed for a balance of power between the monarch and the people, and it provided stability and order while still allowing for some level of democracy.

Question 4

According to the text, who were the leaders of the American Revolution?
A) Farmers.
B) The middle class.
C) Radical revolutionaries.
D) The wealthy.
E) Recent immigrants.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text, who were the...

Question 5

What was the the real American Revolution that manifested itself over time only by degrees after 1783?
A) The military victory by the colonies which gave them their independence from Britain.
B) The eventual ratification of the Bill of Rights and the follow-on amendments.
C) The establishment of a republican form of representative government without a monarch.
D) The establishment of American sovereignty after the Peace of Paris.
E) The revocation of the Articles of Confederation and the ratification of the Constitution.

Accepted Answer

While options A, D, and E are significant events in American history, they do not represent the "real American Revolution" that manifested itself over time only by degrees after 1783. The establishment of a republican form of representative government without a monarch, as represented by the adoption of the Constitution in 1787 and subsequent implementation, represents a fundamental transformation of the political order and the ideals of the American Revolution. This change from a monarchy to a representative government was not an immediate and complete break, but rather a gradual and ongoing process that persisted long after the military victory and the establishment of American sovereignty. The ratification of the Bill of Rights and follow-on amendments were important steps in securing individual rights and liberties but were not the essence of the revolution itself.

Question 6

What is meant by the modern phrase of a "level playing field" relative to the concepts of the Eighteenth-century liberals?
A) That all citizens should be subject to universal political participation.
B) That everyone should have equal economic status.
C) Equal opportunity of proving oneself in competition.
D) The people should have total individual freedom.
E) People deserve to have equal societal status.

Accepted Answer

The phrase "level playing field" refers to equal opportunity in competition, which aligns with the Eighteenth-century liberal concept of equal opportunity for all. It does not necessarily address political participation, economic status, individual freedom, or societal status.

Question 7

The primary medium for political propaganda in the colonies were
A) petitions.
B) cartoons.
C) music.
D) paintings.
E) poetry.

Accepted Answer

Cartoons were a primary medium for political propaganda in the colonies, as they were easily distributed and understood by the general public, often used to convey political messages and sentiments.

Question 8

What would best describe the liberal concept of government?
A) Representative
B) Enlightened despotism
C) Parliamentary
D) Democratic
E) Egalitarian

Accepted Answer

Liberalism traditionally emphasizes representative government, where elected officials represent the people's interests, ensuring individual freedoms and rights.

Question 9

The major protest in the colonies in 1765 was generated by the
A) Stamp Act.
B) Navigation Acts.
C) Declaratory Acts.
D) Townshend Acts.
E) Quartering Act.

Accepted Answer

The Stamp Act of 1765 was a direct tax imposed by the British Parliament on the American colonies. It required colonists to purchase and use special stamped paper for all legal documents, printed materials, and newspapers. This act generated widespread opposition and protests among colonists, who saw it as a violation of their rights as British subjects. The protests ultimately led to the repeal of the Stamp Act, but they also set the stage for further clashes between colonists and the British government.

Question 10

Which country's government served as a role model for 18th century liberals?
A) France.
B) Switzerland.
C) Rome.
D) England.
E) Egypt.

Accepted Answer

England's government served as a role model for 18th century liberals due to its constitutional monarchy and protection of individual rights.

Question 11

Which was not truly an 18th century liberal ideal?
A) Equality before the law.
B) Representative government for everyone.
C) Freedom of the press.
D) Freedom of assembly.
E) Liberty of conscience.

Accepted Answer

While all of the other options were core liberal ideals during the 18th century, representative government for everyone was not yet fully embraced. At this time, many liberal thinkers only believed in representative government for certain classes or groups of people, such as property-owning men. It would not be until later in history that fully democratic systems with universal suffrage would become common liberal ideals.

Question 12

Nineteenth century liberals believed that the cure for many of society's problems would be
A) financial success.
B) good jobs.
C) urban living.
D) education.
E) rationalism.

Accepted Answer

Nineteenth century liberals believed that education was the cure for many of society's problems. They saw education as a way to promote individual liberty and personal responsibility, believing that an educated citizenry could make informed decisions and contribute to the betterment of society.

Question 13

What was the purpose of the Navigation Acts?
A) The Navigation Acts demanded the use of British ships for colonial trade.
B) The Navigation Acts were supposed to enforce proper seamanship.
C) The Navigation Acts designed to encourage competition among shippers.
D) The Navigation Acts encouraged trade via land-based transportation means.
E) The Navigation Acts led to improved road signs and directions for travelers.

Accepted Answer

The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in the 17th and 18th centuries to regulate colonial trade and bolster the mercantile system. One of the key provisions of the Navigation Acts was that colonial merchants were required to use British ships for any goods they transported, even if it were more expensive than using non-British ships. This was aimed at increasing profits for British shipbuilding and reinforcing English national power on the seas.

Question 14

Because America contained no large numbers of the very poor, Americans
A) felt more comfortable with the concept of democracy than did Europeans.
B) reserved their special "consideration due to impoverished backgrounds" to the newest immigrants.
C) were more comfortable with Irish radical immigrants than they would have otherwise.
D) did not understand the French Revolution at all.
E) wanted to forget about the social problems then facing countries across Europe.

Accepted Answer

The absence of a large population of very poor people made Americans feel more comfortable with the idea of democracy, as they did not have to worry about the potential social unrest that poverty could bring. In contrast, many European countries had significant populations of impoverished people, which made their governments more hesitant to embrace democratic ideals.

Question 15

The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party by
A) opening negotiations.
B) closing Boston Harbor.
C) attacking Americans at Lexington.
D) passing the Navigation Acts.
E) arresting all those involved.

Accepted Answer

The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party by closing Boston Harbor as punishment for the destruction of British property. This led to the Intolerable Acts, which further angered colonists and helped to spark the American Revolution.

Question 16

Which of the following was the source for nineteenth-century liberalism?
A) The Protestant Reformation.
B) The Spanish Inquisition.
C) The Glorious Revolution.
D) The Enlightenment.
E) The Counter-Reformation.

Accepted Answer

The Enlightenment was a philosophical movement during the 18th century that emphasized reason, science, and individual rights. Its influence on 19th century liberal thought is widely acknowledged.

Question 17

Which of these was true of the American colonies in 1775?
A) Overall, their taxes were above average.
B) Per capita income was higher than in any European country.
C) The Hanovers kept a tight rein on the American colonists, but liberal ideas made that harder to do.
D) The colonists had offered to put together their own standing army so that Britain would not have to bear that cost, but they had been rebuked.
E) About one million free colonists lived in America by that time.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of these was true of the...

Question 18

The new government established in America surprised many Europeans because it
A) did not abolish slavery.
B) allowed most free white men to vote.
C) established so many laws concerning social issues.
D) was such a conservative body.
E) demonstrated that a large, representative government could function without a monarch.

Accepted Answer

The establishment of a large, representative government without a monarch was a departure from the traditional European system of government, which often relied on monarchies. This was surprising to many Europeans who had not seen a government of this kind before.

Question 19

Which colony was at the center of the unrest in the American colonies?
A) Plymouth.
B) Georgia.
C) Massachusetts Bay.
D) The Carolinas.
E) Virginia.

Accepted Answer

Massachusetts Bay was at the center of the unrest due to their vocal opposition to British policies and acts of rebellion such as the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre.

Question 20

In the liberal perspective, the strongest branch of government should be the
A) executive.
B) judiciary.
C) legislature.
D) representative.
E) None of the options are correct.

Accepted Answer

In the liberal perspective, the legislature is often seen as the strongest branch because it is directly representative of the people and is responsible for making laws, reflecting the will of the electorate.

Quiz 30: Liberalism and the Challenge to Absolute Monarchy

The American colonies are best described as which of the following at the start of the American Revolution?

Which of these popular documents revealed how inflamed the colonists had become?

Of all forms of government, which of the following would the eighteenth-century liberals have been most apt to support?

According to the text, who were the leaders of the American Revolution?

What was the the real American Revolution that manifested itself over time only by degrees after 1783?

What is meant by the modern phrase of a "level playing field" relative to the concepts of the Eighteenth-century liberals?

The primary medium for political propaganda in the colonies were

What would best describe the liberal concept of government?

The major protest in the colonies in 1765 was generated by the

Which country's government served as a role model for 18th century liberals?

Which was not truly an 18th century liberal ideal?

Nineteenth century liberals believed that the cure for many of society's problems would be

What was the purpose of the Navigation Acts?

Because America contained no large numbers of the very poor, Americans

The British government responded to the Boston Tea Party by

Which of the following was the source for nineteenth-century liberalism?

Which of these was true of the American colonies in 1775?

The new government established in America surprised many Europeans because it

Which colony was at the center of the unrest in the American colonies?

In the liberal perspective, the strongest branch of government should be the