Question 1

According to Machiavelli, a prince would be successful if he
A)ultimately became pope.
B)honestly explain his goals and actions to his people.
C)would guarantee the security of his position and state with no regard for morality.
D)would expect his government to guarantee trust and integrity by not violating any agreements with other nations or leaders.
E)would never resort to cruelty and terror.

Accepted Answer

Machiavelli believed that a successful prince should prioritize the stability and security of his state above all else, even if it required immoral actions such as cruelty and deception. He argued that the end result (a stable, secure state) justified the means. This is evident in his most famous work, "The Prince," where he advises rulers on how to gain and maintain power.

Question 2

In the fourteenth century, people who began to question the authority of the international church and its clergy used all the following arguments except that the
A)pope had no authority over kings.
B)state needed no guidance from the papacy.
C)clergy was not above secular law.
D)pope was indeed the Antichrist.
E)church was only a spiritual body whose power does not extend to the political realm.

Accepted Answer

All of the other arguments were used by dissenters during the fourteenth century. However, the idea of the pope being the Antichrist was not commonly held until the Reformation of the sixteenth century.

Question 3

Lutheranism found its greatest following among German townspeople for which of the following reasons?
A)Their support for the confiscation of church lands in Germany
B)Their objection to money flowing from their country to Rome in the form of church taxes and payment for church offices
C)The diminishing power of the pope
D)The dynamic leadership of the German clergy
E)The resentment against the worldliness and lack of piety of many clergy.

Accepted Answer

German townspeople objected to money flowing from their country to Rome in the form of church taxes and payment for church offices, which Lutheranism opposed. This was a major factor in their support for Lutheranism.

Question 4

Sir Thomas More, in his Utopia , advanced the concept that
A)some poverty is inevitable.
B)an acquisitive society eventually achieves the just distribution of goods.
C)for a just society, private property must be abolished.
D)lawyers could help to design a just society.
E)private property was necessary for every society.

Accepted Answer

Sir Thomas More believed that a just society requires the abolition of private property. In Utopia, he presents the idea of communal ownership of all property and resources, in which everyone contributes to the common good and there is no one who takes advantage of others through the exploitation of private property.

Question 5

Which of the following destroyed the republican constitution of Florence in 1480?
A)Cosimo de' Medici
B)Lorenzo Valla
C)Leonardo da Vinci
D)Lorenzo the Magnificent
E)Michelangelo

Accepted Answer

Lorenzo the Magnificent was the one who destroyed the republican constitution of Florence in 1480, establishing a de facto dictatorship over the city. Cosimo de' Medici was his grandfather who helped establish Medici power in Florence, but he died in 1464. Lorenzo Valla was an Italian humanist and scholar who lived in the 15th century and had no direct role in the politics of Florence. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were both artists of the Italian Renaissance and also had no direct role in the politics of Florence.

Question 6

Which of the following is considered the greatest playwright the world has ever produced?
A)Machiavelli
B)Sir Thomas More
C)William Shakespeare
D)Rabelais
E)Lorenzo Valla

Accepted Answer

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright in the world due to his profound impact on theater, literature, and language. His works have been translated into every major language and are still performed around the world today, more than 400 years after his death.

Question 7

The word renaissance means
A)rebirth.
B)renewal.
C)reconfiguration.
D)reintroduction.
E)revival.

Accepted Answer

Both "rebirth" and "revival" accurately capture the meaning of the word Renaissance, which refers to the cultural and intellectual movement that emerged in Europe in the 14th-17th centuries and marked a renewed interest in classical art, literature, and philosophy.

Question 8

In the works of Renaissance artists and thinkers, the world was depicted and explained without reference to
A)higher supernatural realm of meaning and authority.
B)human achievements.
C)confidence in human intelligence.
D)artistic talent.
E)history.

Accepted Answer

Renaissance artists and thinkers were known for their focus on humanism, which emphasized the value and potential of human beings rather than relying on supernatural or divine authority. This led to a move away from traditional religious symbolism and a focus on the natural world as a source of inspiration and meaning.

Question 9

____ promoted the view that successful princes have always been indifferent to moral and religious considerations.
A)Valla
B)Pico
C)Machiavelli
D)Thomas More
E)Raphael

Accepted Answer

This view is famously promoted in Machiavelli's work "The Prince".

Question 10

The new outlook during the Renaissance applied almost exclusively to all the following except
A)princes.
B)courtiers.
C)talented artists.
D)wealthy urban families.
E)peasants.

Accepted Answer

The new outlook during the Renaissance did not apply to peasants as they were not part of the ruling or wealthy classes who were able to actively participate in the cultural and intellectual developments of the time.

Question 11

Which of the following said "I can work miracles?"
A)Michelangelo
B)Raphael
C)Leonardo da Vinci
D)Giotto
E)Jan Van Eyck

Accepted Answer

Leonardo da Vinci famously said, "I can work miracles."

Question 12

The success of the Reformation outside Germany and Scandinavia derived largely from the work of
A)Zwingli.
B)John Hus.
C)Henry IV.
D)Henry VIII.
E)John Calvin.

Accepted Answer

John Calvin's teachings and the spread of Calvinism played a major role in the success of the Reformation outside Germany and Scandinavia. His followers, known as Calvinists, established churches in France, Scotland, the Netherlands, and parts of Germany, and also had an influence in England and America.

Question 13

The humanist spirit in France is exemplified by
A)Lorenzo Valla.
B)Mario De Como.
C)Francisco Franco.
D)Francois Rabelais.
E)Erasmus.

Accepted Answer

Francois Rabelais was a French Renaissance writer and humanist who emphasized the importance of free thought, individualism, and education. His works, such as his satire Gargantua and Pantagruel, criticized the rigidity of medieval scholasticism and championed the ideals of humanism, including a love of classical learning and a respect for human dignity.

Question 14

The Brethren of Common Life was a/an
A)lay movement emphasizing education and practical piety.
B)biblical organization that emphasized the translation of the bible into German.
C)artistic organization during the renaissance.
D)book publishing company in Germany.
E)humanist society from Italy.

Accepted Answer

The Brethren of Common Life was a lay movement in the Netherlands and Germany during the late medieval period that emphasized education and practical piety, particularly for the youth. They established schools and monastic communities where members worked and studied together, focusing on a simple lifestyle and devotion to God.

Question 15

All of the following are associated with the Italian Renaissance except
A)art served as a focus of civic pride and patriotism.
B)members of the urban upper class became patrons of the arts.
C)a fixed hierarchy of lords and vassals prevailed.
D)rulers competed for art and artists to boost their prestige.
E)Prosperous businesspeople played a leading role in the political and cultural life of the city.

Accepted Answer

The Italian Renaissance was marked by a shift away from the feudal system of lords and vassals to a more urbanized and commercial society. The other options are all associated with the Italian Renaissance.

Question 16

All of the following indicate the Renaissance age as an era of transition between the medieval and the modern age except
A)the rejection of certain elements of the medieval outlook.
B)Lorenzo Valla's dating of the Donation of Constantine.
C)the revival of classical cultural forms.
D)the emergence of distinctly modern attitudes.
E)the quest to imitate classical style and to capture the secular spirit of antiquity.

Accepted Answer

Lorenzo Valla's dating of the Donation of Constantine is a specific instance of the rejection of medieval traditions and beliefs, and therefore it actually supports the idea that the Renaissance was a transitional period. The other options all highlight aspects of the Renaissance that indicate a movement towards modernity, such as the revival of classical culture and the emergence of new attitudes and styles.

Question 17

Petrarch was an advocate of an education that emphasized
A)rhetoric and moral philosophy.
B)mathematics and science.
C)history and geography.
D)philosophy and architecture.
E)literature and grammar.

Accepted Answer

Petrarch believed that a well-rounded education should focus on the study of rhetoric (the art of persuasive speaking and writing) and moral philosophy (the study of ethics and values). He believed that these subjects were essential for developing one's moral character and for effective communication.

Question 18

In The Prince , Machiavelli expounded a new political theory
A)which had ideal Christian ends.
B)in which policy was based on religion.
C)which coincided with traditional political theory.
D)which had no place for Christian morality.
E)which was in harmony with Christian morality.

Accepted Answer

Machiavelli's political theory, as presented in The Prince, did not take into account Christian morality or ideals. He believed that a ruler should do whatever was necessary to maintain power, even if it meant being ruthless, deceitful, or immoral. This approach was in sharp contrast to traditional Christian views on politics and leadership.

Question 19

Who contended that knowledge must be used to promote the public well-being?
A)Lorenzo de' Medici
B)Petrarch
C)Pico della Mirandola
D)Lorenzo Valla
E)Erasmus

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who contended that knowledge must be used...

Question 20

The Renaissance, which began in the city-states of northern Italy, spread north and west to all the following except
A)Greece.
B)Germany.
C)France.
D)England.
E)Spain.

Accepted Answer

The Renaissance did not spread southwards to Greece, as it was already part of the Byzantine Empire at the time and did not experience a similar cultural and artistic revival.

Quiz 1: Transition to the Modern Age: Renaissance and Reformation

According to Machiavelli, a prince would be successful if he

In the fourteenth century, people who began to question the authority of the international church and its clergy used all the following arguments except that the

Lutheranism found its greatest following among German townspeople for which of the following reasons?

Sir Thomas More, in his Utopia , advanced the concept that

Which of the following destroyed the republican constitution of Florence in 1480?

Which of the following is considered the greatest playwright the world has ever produced?

The word renaissance means

In the works of Renaissance artists and thinkers, the world was depicted and explained without reference to

____ promoted the view that successful princes have always been indifferent to moral and religious considerations.

The new outlook during the Renaissance applied almost exclusively to all the following except

Which of the following said "I can work miracles?"

The success of the Reformation outside Germany and Scandinavia derived largely from the work of

The humanist spirit in France is exemplified by

The Brethren of Common Life was a/an

All of the following are associated with the Italian Renaissance except

All of the following indicate the Renaissance age as an era of transition between the medieval and the modern age except

Petrarch was an advocate of an education that emphasized

In The Prince , Machiavelli expounded a new political theory

Who contended that knowledge must be used to promote the public well-being?

The Renaissance, which began in the city-states of northern Italy, spread north and west to all the following except