History Unit 1 Test ✅

A) Renaissance

This period's 'high' end saw da Vinci busy at work, others like Michelangelo also helped make it special

B) Cortes

He found a magnificent empire and conquered it but only with the help of its enemies, the Tlaxclans

C) Petrarch

He was among the Renaissance writers who focused more on morality (and love sonnets) rather than religion

D) Isabella D'Este

This notable individual was a great Renaissance patron of the arts and helped run Mantua for a time.

E) Prince Henry The Navigator

He masterminded Portugal's rise to power by training ship's pilots and building more new caravels.

F) Bartolome De Las Casas

This priest argued that the Indigenous people now under Spain's colonial control should not be enslaved

G) Jacques Cartier

This explorer met the Indigenous peoples, abducted one of them, and claimed their territory for France

H) Zheng He

This explorer's huge fleet visited India & Africa, before the Ming rulers decided to close the trade doors.

I) Sola Fide

A key element of the Reformation, it meant that believers should be able to reach Heaven by faith alone.

J) Ottomans

This Islamic empire used modern weapons (like the cannon), setting an example for Renaissance Europe

K) Kongo

This African Kingdom was a key source of resources for Portugal, with its ruler converting to Christianity

Which of the following if FALSE when discussing Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel?

a) Societies possessing any or all of the 'Big Five" domesticated animals had clear advantages

b) CORRECT: Australia's sedentary agricultural societies surpassed other continents in food production

c) Those Societies that passed "founder crops" like wheat had an advantage over others

d) Eurasia, with its East-West axis and favourable climate, was home to numerous civlizations

Which of the following terms does NOT describe the impressive civilization in Ming China?

a) CORRECT: The Haijin edict launched Ming China on the road to lasting dominance of Asian trade

b) The dynasty constructed the Forbidden City for the emperor in Beijing

c) The empire's efficient Mandarin bureaucracy was based on the teachings of Confucius

d) Foreign visitors like Marco Polo were impressive by China's marvelous achievements

Which of the following is TRUE?

a) Galileo angered the Catholic authorities for supporting the Protestant Reformation

b) Ptolemy was a trailblazer during the Renaissance with his development of new literature

c) CORRECT: Bartolomeu Dias sailed for Portugal and rounded Africa's southern tip

d) all of the above

Which of the following is FALSE about the Islamic states that kept learning alive while Europe slept?

a) The mighty Abbasids made great advances in science, learning from Ancient Greece and India

b) the Caliphate of Cordoba was known for its tolerance, architectural wonders and learning

c) CORRECT: Prester John battled against these Islamic empires, but could not match their military technology

d) while the Crusaders from Europe may have made war on the Holy Land's Islamic states they nevertheless learned things from these advanced civilizations

Which of the following is TRUE about the situation in Europe at the time of the Reformation's start?

a) Church officials were busy selling indulgences in Germany and elsewhere

b) the Catholic Church needed money for the costly rebuilding of the basilica in Rome

c) a monk in Germany was not impressed by Church practices and called for reform

d) CORRECT: all of the above

Which of the following is FALSE concerning the arrival of the Europeans in the New World?

a) Columbus hoped to find a new passage to the riches of Asia, instead he found the Americas

b) CORRECT: France and England came to the North American coast, the Vikings would soon follow them

c) Indigenous peoples of the Americas were devastated by the diseases brought by the Europeans

d) none of the above

Which of the following was associated with the Spanish conquests in the New World?

a) The Spaniards conquered the Aztec empire and its massive capital Tenochtitlan

b) Pizzaro defeated the mighty Inca of South America

c) Columbus took control over Hispaniola after his landing in the Bahamas

d) CORRECT: all of the above

Which of the following is FALSE in regard to the Protestant Reformation?

a) in England, Wycliffe wanted the holy scriptures to be written in the local vernacular

b) in Central Europe, Hus considered the Catholic Church to be corrupt

c) across Europe, Protestant reformers all rejected papal supremacy (the pope's authority)

d) CORRECT: in Zurich, Zwingli felt the pope in Avignon should replace the one in Rome

Which of the following is FALSE regarding the factors that pulled the Portuguese (and other Europeans) to explore?

a) They were entranced by (and desired) the many spices available in India and elsewhere in Asia

b) CORRECT: tired of the corruption of the Catholic Church, they sought to embrace new faiths in distant lands

c) they knew about the wealth of the Fatamids, with its coins made of West African gold

d) they knew of distant China's advanced civilization, as visitors like Odoric had written of it

PART C: Identify and explain the historical significant of two (2) of the following terms in proper sentence

1) Vasco De Gama: His journey was followed after Bartolomue Dias failed to establish a route to India. He was important because he was the first to travel to India through sea. This had extended Portugal's trade routes and paved the way for more European exploration and colonization.

2) Alexander VI: Spanish Pope from the powerful Borgia family, known for corruption and favouring his relatives. In 1494, he helped create the Treaty of Tordesillas. This divided new lands between Spain and Portugal allowing Spain to control most of the Americas.

PART D: Describe the key features of the Reformation and why it was important

Key Features: Humanism, Catholic Church, Papal Authority, Wycliffe Lollards, Indulgences, Protestantism, Luther, Printing Press, Alexander IV

- a major religious movement in the 1500s that changed Christianity in Europe.

- It was influenced by humanism, which encouraged people to think for themselves and question traditions.

- Many criticized the Catholic Church for being too powerful and corrupt, especially for relying on papal authority and selling indulgences, which let people pay for forgiveness of sins.

- Early reformers like John Wycliffe and the Lollards wanted the Bible translated so that everyone could read it, not just priests.

- The movement grew when Martin Luther wrote his 95 Theses in 1517, arguing that faith alone leads to salvation, not Church rituals.

- Thanks to the printing press, his ideas spread quickly, leading to the rise of Protestantism, which rejected the Pope's authority.

- Even before this, Popes like Alexander IV showed signs of the Church's growing problems.

- Overall, the Reformation was important because it reduced the Church's power, created new Christian groups, and led to ideas about freedom and government that still affect the world today.

PART D: (SECOND OPTION) Describe the key features of the Renaissance and why it was important

Key Features: Humanism, Catholic Church, Papal Authority, Art and Learning, Classical Influence, Printing Press, Patronage, Scientific Discoveries

- The Renaissance was a major cultural movement in the 1300s-1600s that changed art, science, and thinking in Europe.

- It was influenced by humanism, which encouraged people to focus on human potential, reason, and studying ancient Greek and Roman ideas.

- Many questioned the Catholic Church's control over knowledge and learning, as education became more focused on subjects like literature, science, and philosophy rather than just religion.

- The Church and papal authority still played a big role, but some Renaissance thinkers and artists challenged religious traditions by focusing on human achievements and realistic art.

- The movement revived interest in classical influence, leading to advancements in architecture, literature, and philosophy that shaped modern ideas.

- Thanks to the printing press, books became more widely available, spreading Renaissance ideas quickly across Europe.

- Wealthy families and the patronage of leaders like the Medici family supported artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, helping Renaissance culture thrive.

- The Renaissance also led to scientific discoveries, as thinkers like Galileo and Copernicus questioned old beliefs and developed new ideas about the universe.

- Overall, the Renaissance was important because it encouraged creativity, scientific progress, and new ways of thinking that shaped the modern world.