Question 1

University students who studied medicine in the Middle Ages studied the works of which two great medical men of the ancient world?
A) Ptolemy and Aristotle
B) Plato and Socrates
C) Hippocrates and Galen
D) Thales and Anaximander
E) Anaximenes and Pythagoras

Accepted Answer

Hippocrates and Galen were two of the most influential figures in medicine during the ancient world. Their works were studied extensively by medical students in the Middle Ages and continue to serve as important foundations for medical knowledge today.

Question 2

During the High Middle Ages, the geocentric theory
A) refuted Aristotelian views.
B) offered basic geometry.
C) was accepted by the clergy.
D) proposed that mathematics was the basic language of the universe.
E) was based on the sun as the center of the universe.

Accepted Answer

During the High Middle Ages, the geocentric theory was widely accepted by the clergy, who held significant power and influence in that period. The theory proposed that the Earth was at the center of the universe, with all the other celestial bodies orbiting around it. This view was consistent with religious teachings that placed importance on Earth as the center of God's creation.

Question 3

Medieval theorists would have refuted the view that
A) stars were constantly moving in relation to the earth and to each other.
B) the universe was earth centered.
C) the earthly realm consisted of earth, air, fire, and water.
D) celestial bodies were composed of ether, a matter different from earth.
E) God transmitted motion to the planetary spheres.

Accepted Answer

Medieval theorists, adhering to the geocentric model of the universe, believed that the stars and planets moved in a fixed relationship to the Earth, which they thought was at the center of the universe. They would have refuted the idea that stars were constantly moving in relation to the Earth and to each other, as this contradicts the geocentric model and the notion of fixed celestial spheres.

Question 4

Saint Anselm was known for
A) writing the Summa Theologica.
B) a disreputable affair with Heloise, which he eventually disavowed.
C) arguing that faith is the basis of philosophical speculation.
D) analyzing the Trinity in a way that angered churchmen.
E) disputing the existence of God.

Accepted Answer

Saint Anselm is known for developing the ontological argument for the existence of God, in which he argued that faith is the basis of philosophical speculation. He did not write the Summa Theologica, which was written by Saint Thomas Aquinas, and he did not have a disreputable affair with Heloise. While he did write extensively on the Trinity, his analysis did not anger churchmen. Additionally, he did not dispute the existence of God.

Question 5

One may correctly say that Thomas Aquinas
A) gained the greatest fame in writing Summa Magisteria.
B) brilliantly integrated the philosophy of Aristotle with Christian thought.
C) always held that secular knowledge should be supervised and be held in conformity to revealed truth.
D) advanced beyond the restrictions of medieval thought.
E) distinguished the irreconcilable differences between faith and reason.

Accepted Answer

Aquinas is known for his integration of Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology, which became a major influence on later Christian theology and philosophy. Although he was a devout Christian, he believed that reason could and should be used to understand theological and philosophical concepts. The other choices either emphasize his work in one particular area (A), do not accurately reflect his views (C and E), or are too vague (D).

Question 6

The importance of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales was that
A) it provided a first hand description of the Black Plague.
B) it was written in vernacular French.
C) it described the death of Joan of Arc.
D) it was denounced by the church.
E) it was literary picture of its time.

Accepted Answer

The Canterbury Tales is considered one of the greatest literary works of the Middle Ages and offers a vivid portrayal of life in medieval England, including social and religious attitudes, and life in general. It is important not only as a historical document but also as a literary picture of its time. The other options are incorrect as The Canterbury Tales does not provide a first-hand description of the Black Plague, is not written in vernacular French, does not describe the death of Joan of Arc, and was not denounced by the church.

Question 7

In the early Middle Ages, the principal education centers of Western Christendom were
A) monastery schools.
B) universities.
C) cathedral schools.
D) parish schools.
E) All of these

Accepted Answer

Monastery schools were the primary centers of education in the early Middle Ages, focusing on religious and classical studies.

Question 8

All of the following are medieval epics except
A) The Song of Roland.
B) Nibelungenlied.
C) the tales of King Arthur and his Round Table.
D) the Divine Comedy
E) The Iliad.

Accepted Answer

The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer, predating the medieval period by many centuries. It is set during the Trojan War, far earlier than the medieval epics listed in the other options.

Question 9

The chansons de geste are best associated with
A) love poetry.
B) songs of troubadours.
C) heroic deeds.
D) ribald peasant tales.
E) peasant rebellions.

Accepted Answer

The chansons de geste are epic poems that focus on heroic deeds, typically of medieval knights and warriors. These poems often recount battles, quests, and other adventures of legendary heroes, and were passed down through oral tradition.

Question 10

Which of the following was not a factor in the cultural flowering of the twelfth century?
A) The Carolingian Renaissance was rejected for new ideas.
B) The end of invasions permitted more travel and more political stability.
C) There was recognition of the importance of classical contributions.
D) There was increasing commerce and the literacy skills associated with it.
E) Contacts with Islamic and Byzantine cultures led to the translation into Latin of ancient Greek works.

Accepted Answer

The rejection of the Carolingian Renaissance did not contribute to the cultural flowering of the twelfth century, as it happened in the ninth century. The other factors listed - the end of invasions, recognition of classical contributions, increasing commerce and literacy, and contacts with other cultures - all played a role in the cultural revival of this time period.

Question 11

Sic et Non was an effort to demonstrate that
A) there was an irreconcilable conflict between reason and faith and that the Christian must choose faith.
B) different theologians had conflicting opinions and hence, the enterprise of theology in general was vain.
C) Aquinas's Summa Theologica was methodologically flawed.
D) the conflicting opinions of theologians could be reconciled through reasoned argument (dialectics).
E) there were no conflicting opinions between faith and reason.

Accepted Answer

The purpose of Sic et Non was to reconcile conflicting opinions of theologians through reasoned argument, using dialectics. It was an attempt to show that faith and reason were not necessarily in conflict and that theology could be a rigorous and systematic discipline.

Question 12

During the Middle Ages, scientific works were available to the West because
A) it was preserved by the Church.
B) Muslim Portugal was an important cultural center at the time.
C) Jews and Greeks from the East taught at Bologna.
D) Islamic and Byzantine civilizations had preserved and added to Classical Greek knowledge.
E) was the result of the Carolingian Era.

Accepted Answer

Islamic and Byzantine civilizations had preserved and added to Classical Greek knowledge. Through trade and cultural exchange, this knowledge eventually made its way to the West. Scholars such as Thomas Aquinas and Roger Bacon were able to access and study these works, which had a significant impact on the development of science in the West.

Question 13

When Aristotle's writings were translated into Latin and reintroduced to the West
A) church scholars accepted them enthusiastically.
B) church scholars largely discounted them as pagan delusions.
C) there was controversy about whether they would endanger faith.
D) there were doubts about whether the writings were really Aristotle's.
E) they were found to be synonymous with Christian beliefs.

Accepted Answer

When Aristotle's writings were reintroduced to the West, there was controversy among church scholars about whether they would endanger faith. Some saw the rediscovery of Aristotle as a threat to Christian teachings, and there were debates over how to reconcile his ideas with Christian beliefs.

Question 14

The geocentric model of the universe fit with the Christian worldview in that
A) it accorded with the idea that God created the universe for human beings.
B) some monotheistic groups worshipped the sun.
C) Christians did not think of heaven as a physical place.
D) Christians were opposed to sun worship because it was pagan.
E) it put man at the highest rung of the cosmic ladder.

Accepted Answer

The geocentric model of the universe fit with the Christian worldview in the sense that it accorded with the idea that God created the universe for human beings. It placed the earth at the center of the universe and suggested that all the other celestial bodies revolved around it, thereby implying that everything else in the cosmos was created to serve Earth and the humans who lived on it. This view aligned with the Christian belief that God created humans in his image and gave them a special place in the universe.

Question 15

Roger Bacon (c. 1214−1294) is remembered for his
A) estimate of the circumference of the Earth.
B) castration of Abelard.
C) opposition to the use of Arab medical texts in Christendom.
D) realization of the potential power of the experimental method of scientific investigation.
E) translation and commentary of ancient Arabic works.

Accepted Answer

Roger Bacon is known for being one of the first European scholars to strongly advocate for the use of experiments and empirical evidence in scientific investigation, and for his work in developing the scientific method.

Question 16

Which work is sometimes called "the Iliad of the Germans"?
A) Beowulf
B) The Divine Comedy
C) Siegfried
D) Nibelungenlied
E) The Song of Roland

Accepted Answer

The work sometimes called "the Iliad of the Germans" is the Nibelungenlied, a medieval epic poem from Germany.

Question 17

Which of the following medieval scientists was the chancellor of Oxford University?
A) Avicenna
B) Robert Grosseteste
C) Galen
D) Hippocrates
E) Albert

Accepted Answer

Robert Grosseteste was a medieval scientist who served as the chancellor of Oxford University from 1214 to 1221. He was an important figure in the development of medieval science and philosophy.

Question 18

All of the following were problems in the Late Middle Ages except
A) decline in agricultural production.
B) the Black Death.
C) peasant revolts.
D) starvation and malnutrition
E) increased population.

Accepted Answer

During the Late Middle Ages, Europe faced a decline in agricultural production, the Black Death, peasant revolts, and widespread starvation and malnutrition. However, the period was characterized by a decreasing population due to these crises, not an increased population.

Question 19

According to the author, the core of the medieval Christian worldview was that
A) God determined the rules for leading a good life and that conclusions derived from reason were secondary to divine revelation.
B) when reason and revelation seemed to be in conflict, individuals should follow the dictates of reason.
C) the Greco-Roman cultural heritage was pagan and hence should be rejected in favor of the divine revelations of Scripture.
D) each individual had to follow his or her own path to God.
E) the good life was of this world.

Accepted Answer

The author states that the core of the medieval Christian worldview was that God determined the rules for leading a good life and that conclusions derived from reason were secondary to divine revelation. This aligns with option A.

Question 20

Each of the following statements describe important differences between Romanesque and Gothic architecture except
A) Romanesque buildings used rounded arches, while Gothic buildings used pointed ones.
B) Gothic buildings had larger windows than Romanesque buildings.
C) Gothic buildings used flying buttresses, while Romanesque buildings did not.
D) Gothic building created an illusion of lightness and soaring energy, while Romanesque buildings produced an impression of massive solidity.
E) Romanesque buildings had large spaces for windows and Gothic buildings did not.

Accepted Answer

The statement "Romanesque buildings had large spaces for windows and Gothic buildings did not" is inaccurate. In fact, Gothic buildings are known for their large and intricate stained glass windows, a feature that sets them apart from Romanesque architecture. The other statements accurately describe important differences between the two styles.

Quiz 7: The Flowering and Dissolution of Medieval Civilization

University students who studied medicine in the Middle Ages studied the works of which two great medical men of the ancient world?

During the High Middle Ages, the geocentric theory

Medieval theorists would have refuted the view that

Saint Anselm was known for

One may correctly say that Thomas Aquinas

The importance of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales was that

In the early Middle Ages, the principal education centers of Western Christendom were

All of the following are medieval epics except

The chansons de geste are best associated with

Which of the following was not a factor in the cultural flowering of the twelfth century?

Sic et Non was an effort to demonstrate that

During the Middle Ages, scientific works were available to the West because

When Aristotle's writings were translated into Latin and reintroduced to the West

The geocentric model of the universe fit with the Christian worldview in that

Roger Bacon (c. 1214−1294) is remembered for his

Which work is sometimes called "the Iliad of the Germans"?

Which of the following medieval scientists was the chancellor of Oxford University?

All of the following were problems in the Late Middle Ages except

According to the author, the core of the medieval Christian worldview was that

Each of the following statements describe important differences between Romanesque and Gothic architecture except