History Exam Study Questions (Chapter 14)

Which of the following European institutions played the LEAST role in the spread of new scientific ideas, 1600-1800? a) the Catholic Church b) Royal courts c) Private patronage d) Salons

A Although many early scientists were profoundly religious men, the Catholic Church condemned many of the new scientific discoveries which it considered contrary to the dogma of established institutions

Enlightenment thinkers believed that the guide for human thought and society - because of its laws, order, simplicity, and rationality - should be... a) nature b) a European monarch c) progress d) England

A According to Enlightenment thinkers, because nature functioned logically and discernibly, it exhibited innate reason. Valuing reason highly, the philosophes believed that these qualities of nature should be applied to human society.

Cesare Beccaria applied reason and natural law to criminal law and punishment and concluded that criminal law should... a) rehabilitate the criminal, not simply punish b) be concerned with protecting society from criminals c) punish criminals outside of traditional prisons d) provide for passage for the worst offenders to the New World

A By applying reasons to criminology and penology, Beccaria concluded that criminal law should deter crime, and that prisons should reform the individual. In light of these goals, he believed that torture and capital punishment were illogical.

In 1633, Galileo Galilei was forced by the Catholic Inquisition to deny his view that... a) the earth revolves around the sun b) the sun revolves around the earth c) one earth-day is the equivalent of 24 hours d) the earth is the center of the universe

A Galileo was on trial for his view that the earth revolves around the sun. This contradicted the belief held by the Catholic Church that the earth was center of the universe with the sun revolving around it.

Enlightenment thinkers glorified Newton, because from his work they were able to conclude that... a) reason and nature were compatible b) the universe is heliocentric c) fire is an element d) all men are governed by reason

A Newton described a natural world that functioned logically, from which Enlightenment thinkers concluded that the natural was reasonable and reason, natural.

What type of government did the majority of philosophers believe would be most effective at enacting Enlightenment reforms, such as religious toleration, impartial laws, freedom of speech? a) democracy b) enlightened absolution c) oligarchy d) constitutional monarchy

B The majority of philosophers believed enlightened absolution would be most effective at enacting the Enlightenment reforms of religious toleration, impartial laws and freedom of speech. They believed that it would take such a powerful autocrat to enact such far reaching reforms. Although they did envision political reform, most did not support the idea of a democracy.

In order to spread their ideas, scientific scholars were dependent upon all of the following except... a) the printing press b) the opportunity to travel to and explore the New World c) the support of wealthy patrons d) exposure to and discussion of new ideas

B Although travel to and exploration of the New World did spark new scientific ideas and a thirst for knowledge, it was not a requirement for spreading scholars' new ideas. The printing and distribution of new ideas, funding to conduct research, and discussion of one's ideas with colleagues, however, were necessary.

Enlightenment thinkers believed that an important element of any education was... a) court etiquette b) the methods of science c) Latin and Greek d) geography

B By learning the methods of science, one learned to approach a subject skeptically, relying on empirical proof instead of unthinking acceptance. This was thought to be necessary for all disciplines.

The English philosopher John Locke concluded in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding that human learning is the result of ... a) heredity b) human experiences c) divine revelation d) youthfulness and certain dexterity

B Locke believed that the human brain was like a sheet of blank paper at birth, "tabla rasa", which became filled as a result of experiences and learning throughout one's lifetime.

The political philosophers Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau build on the work of ... a)Isaac Newton b) John Locke c) Voltaire d) Denis Diderot

B Locke's work directly influenced these Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau's writings on politics.

The Catholic Churches' attitude toward the Copernican System was... a) to support it with church doctrine b) to denounce it and put its supporters on trial c) to fund scientific work of its adherents d) to popularize it through sermons

B The Catholic Churches' attitude toward the Copernican System was to denounce it and put its supporters on trial. That said - the Catholic Church did finance scholarship in the natural sciences, Copernicus' theory of a heliocentric universe contradicted a central Christian beliefs of the time - that God had created a universe with the earth at the center. Galileo is one person who had been put on trial for believing in the Copernican universe.

Rene Descartes' philosophical attempt to remove all assumptions about knowledge left him with what one reality from which he used deductive reasoning to draw conclusions? a) "Every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force varying inversely as the square of the distance between them and directly proportional to the product of their masses" b) "I think, therefore I am" c) "Evil doers who while living have done damage are of benefit after their death" d) "the more learned, the more perverted"

B The philosopher, Rene Descartes came to proclaim. "I think, therefore I am". Newton was known for his universal law of gravitation, "Every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force varying inversely as the square of the distance between them and directly proportional to the product of their masses" , William Harvey was known for saying, "Evil doers who while living have done damage are of benefit after their death", and Paracelsus said, "the more learned, the more perverted"

These helped make Enlightenment ideas accessible to all classes a) salons b) bookstores c) academies d) Freemason lodges

B While not all elements of society had access to the philosophe's salons, to academies and universities, or to lodges, bookstores were open to all.

The work that best summarizes Enlightenment thought in its entirety is... a) Voltaire's Candide b) the Encyclopedia c) the American Declaration of Independence d) Rousseau's The Social Contract

B While the others all expressed Enlightenment through, it was the Encyclopedia that presented current thinking on all disciplines and aspects of life, politics and society.

While women often patronized and led the salon gatherings of philosophes in France, most male thinkers believed they were best suited for... a) a government position b) teaching in the nation's schools c) domestic affairs in the home d) the writing and publishing of Enlightenment ideas

C Although some intellectuals explored the idea of equality between men and women in the salon gatherings of France, most men of the day, like Roussseau, believed that women should continue to fulfill their traditional domestic roles at home.

Intellectuals believed the 18th century was inaugurating a new, "modern" epoch of human history in which science and reason would bring... a) further discoveries b) mandatory education c) human progress d) universal suffrage

C Enlightenment thinkers believed strongly in the inevitable progress that human reason would bring. Although they valued education and political rights, they did not necessarily agree that all should enjoy these to the same degree.

Which of the following is not one of Johannes Kepler's three laws of planetary motion? a) the planets move in ellipses around the sun b) the planets' velocity varies according to their distance from the sun c) the planets rotate on their axes at the speed of light d) the physical relationship between the moving planets can be expressed mathematically

C Keplers' laws of planetary motion dealt with the relationship between the planets.

Religious non-conformity was a political threat during the 17th century because... a) it often led to public protests b) it motivated certain groups to emigrate to new lands c) shared religious principles served as a buttress to and inherent part of European political systems of the time d) it sparked the creation of new and extreme religious sects

C Religious non-conformity's greatest threat in Europe stemmed from the fact that political leaders often felt that the established religion they shared with their populace legitimized their rule and created a common connection. Many governments had one state religion by law. The relative infrequency of protest, emigration and new sects made these less of a threat to political rule.

According to Adam Smith, the rational pursuit of economic self-interest benefits... a) only oneself b) no one c) the entire society d) society's richest tenth

C Smith believed that when individuals were given the freedom to pursue their economic interest unrestricted, their activities would benefit all members of society.

Voltaire and other French intellectuals idealized England in the early 18th century because... a) England had just defeated French forces in the North American French and Indian War b) they respected English social equality c) of its enviable navy d) they believed it offered greater individual freedom and admired its political system

D Both Voltaire and Montesquieu had traveled to England and compared their own French society. They felt that the English system of government was more just and allowed for greater personal freedom and discussion.

Rene Descartes's system of philosophy, called Cartesian dualism, provided scholars with a new way to understand truths about nature. What lay at the center of this new philosophy of science? a) Empirical investigation b) Biblical authorities c) Heliocentrism d) Mathematical reasoning

D Cartesian dualism held that the physical universe could be understood as nothing more than a combination of mechanical laws that could be unlocked through the use of mathematical reasoning

Issac Newton is most well-known for his discovery... a) of a heliocentric universe b) that common substances can be turned into gold through the science of alchemy c) that the moon's surface is rugged d) of the universal law of gravitation

D Isaac Newton is most well-known for his discovery of the universal law of gravitation. Copernicus developed the idea of a heliocentric universe, and Galileo discovered that the moon's surface was rugged. Alchemy is not been proven as a true science.