McKeon's Quarter 3 Quarterly

I. The Renaissance (Cause & Effect)

1. What factors led to the rise of the Renaissance in Italy?

○ Thriving city-states, wealthy merchant class, classical heritage of Greece and

Rome.

2. How did humanism challenge medieval ways of thinking?

○ Focused on individual potential, secular achievements, and classical learning.

3. How did the printing press change European society?

○ Spread knowledge quickly, increased literacy, and allowed for the mass

production of books, including the Bible.

4. Why did wealthy patrons support Renaissance artists and thinkers?

○ To display their wealth, gain prestige, and promote cultural achievements.

5. What was the impact of Renaissance art on European culture?

○ Inspired creativity, emphasized realism, used perspective, and celebrated human

form and nature.

6. How did the Northern Renaissance differ from the Italian Renaissance?

○ Focused more on religious themes, everyday life, and social reform (Erasmus,

More) rather than classical influences.

7. Why did Renaissance writers like Machiavelli emphasize political realism?

○ They observed how rulers actually behaved rather than idealizing governance

(The Prince promotes pragmatic rule).

8. How did Renaissance values contribute to the questioning of the Catholic

Church?

○ Humanism encouraged critical thinking, and secularism led people to challenge

Church authority and corruption.

9. What role did trade play in spreading Renaissance ideas across Europe?

○ Merchants and scholars carried ideas along trade routes, especially from Italy to

Northern Europe.

10. How did the Renaissance help lead to the Scientific Revolution?

○ Encouraged curiosity, observation, and questioning of traditional beliefs, laying

the groundwork for scientific inquiry.

II. The Protestant Reformation (Cause & Effect)

11. What were the main causes of the Protestant Reformation?

○ Corruption in the Church (indulgences, simony), Renaissance ideas, printing

press, and Martin Luther’s criticisms.

12. Why did Martin Luther’s 95 Theses have such a strong impact?

○ Criticized Church abuses, sparked debate, and spread rapidly due to the printing

press.

13. How did the Catholic Church respond to Luther’s criticisms?

○ Excommunicated him, condemned his teachings, and reaffirmed traditional

doctrines at the Council of Trent.

14. Why did some German princes support Luther’s ideas?

○ To gain independence from the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Emperor,

and to seize Church land.

15. How did the printing press contribute to the spread of Protestantism?

○ Allowed Luther’s ideas to reach a wide audience quickly, making the Reformation

a mass movement.

16. What major theological differences separated Luther from the Catholic Church?

○ Salvation by faith alone (not works), Bible as the sole authority, and rejection of

indulgences and papal authority.

17. How did the Peace of Augsburg (1555) impact religious divisions in Europe?

○ Allowed German princes to choose Catholicism or Lutheranism for their territory,

leading to religious fragmentation.

18. What role did John Calvin play in the spread of Protestant ideas?

○ Established a strict theocracy in Geneva, emphasized predestination, and

influenced other reform movements.

19. How did the English Reformation differ from the Reformation in Germany?

○ Led by King Henry VIII for political reasons (wanted a divorce), rather than

theological disputes.

20. What political consequences did the Reformation have in Europe?

○ Weakened the power of the Pope, led to religious wars, and contributed to the

rise of nation-states.

III. The Catholic Reformation (Cause & Effect)

21. What were the goals of the Catholic Reformation (Counter-Reformation)?

○ Strengthen the Church, stop Protestantism, and reform corruption.

22. How did the Council of Trent attempt to reform the Catholic Church?

○ Reaffirmed Catholic teachings, ended abuses, and improved clergy education.

23. What was the role of the Jesuits in the Counter-Reformation?

○ Founded schools, spread Catholicism through missionary work, and opposed

Protestantism.

24. How did the Inquisition help the Catholic Church fight Protestantism?

○ Investigated and punished heresy, sometimes through torture and executions.

25. How did the Counter-Reformation strengthen Catholicism in some areas?

○ Encouraged reforms that made the Church more disciplined and reinforced its

influence in Southern Europe.

26. What long-term effects did the Reformation and Counter-Reformation have on

Europe?

○ Created lasting religious divisions, led to religious wars, and encouraged

education.

27. How did religious conflicts like the Thirty Years’ War result from the Reformation?

○ Protestant vs. Catholic tensions erupted into a devastating European war.

28. How did the Catholic Reformation impact education and missionary work?

○ Jesuits and other Catholic groups established schools and spread Catholicism

globally.

29. What were the social and cultural effects of religious division in Europe?

○ Led to greater religious diversity, persecution, and a decline in Church authority

over daily life.

IV. The Age of Exploration (Cause & Effect)

31. What were the major motivations for European exploration?

○ "God, Glory, and Gold" – spread Christianity, gain wealth, and expand empires.

32. What technological advancements enabled European exploration?

○ Compass, astrolabe, caravel ships, better maps, and navigation schools.

33. Why did Portugal and Spain lead the way in exploration?

○ Strong monarchies funded expeditions, and they had direct access to the Atlantic

Ocean.

34. How did Columbus’s voyages change global history?

○ Connected Europe and the Americas, leading to colonization and the Columbian

Exchange.

35. How did Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro conquer powerful American

civilizations?

○ Used superior weapons, allied with native enemies, and spread diseases that

devastated local populations.

36. How did European colonization impact indigenous populations?

○ Led to disease outbreaks, forced labor, and cultural destruction.

37. What were the economic effects of the Columbian Exchange?

○ Introduced new crops and goods, boosted trade, and expanded European

economies.

38. How did the Atlantic Slave Trade develop as a result of exploration?

○ Europeans needed labor for plantations, leading to the forced migration of

millions of Africans.

39. What was the role of mercantilism in European colonization?

○ Encouraged nations to build wealth through trade and colonies.

40. How did European exploration impact global trade networks?

○ Created a global economy linking Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

41. How did the Columbian Exchange change diets and agriculture worldwide?

○ New foods like potatoes, maize, and sugarcane spread worldwide.

42. What were the environmental effects of European expansion in the Americas?

○ Deforestation, soil depletion, and introduction of non-native animals.

43. How did European exploration contribute to the rise of the transatlantic economy?

○ Linked continents through trade, especially in cash crops and enslaved labor.

44. Why did European nations compete for overseas empires?

○ Wealth, resources, and political power.

45. How did European colonization affect African societies?

○ Increased warfare, depopulation, and economic disruptions.

46. What were the long-term consequences of European contact with the Americas?

○ Cultural exchange, population shifts, and new global power structures.

47. How did the Age of Exploration lead to the spread of Christianity?

○ Missionaries traveled with explorers to convert indigenous people.

48. What were the positive and negative effects of exploration on both Europe and the

New World?

○ Positive: Economic growth, new foods, cultural exchange.

○ Negative: Disease, enslavement, and destruction of native civilizations.