Freshman History Multiple Choice Final Questions
After its defeat by the Abbasids, the Umayyad dynasty continued to rule in A) Spain B) Baghdad C) Mecca D) Egypt
A
Among the functions of a medieval merchant guild was to ______________ A) Maintain a monopoly for its members and regulate the quality of crafts made by its members B) Promote competition and free trade C) Encourage trading with foreigners D) Prevent price fixing for any kind of goods or services
A
Feudalism is characterized by _________ A) Being highly decentralized B) Strengthening central power C) Encouraging the growth of cities D) Being a luxurious lifestyle
A
In the Byzantine Empire, __________ A) The emperor was regarded as the head of the church B) The church and state did not mix C) The church saw the pope as its supreme leader D) The church was run by elders known as presbyters
A
Lay investiture refers to A) Secular control of Church appointments B) A strong Parliament C) Royal control of government affairs D) Divisions within the Holy Roman Empire
A
Mainly, Confucianism stresses ____________ A) The importance of moral behavior in human relationships B) Living in harmony with nature C) Two opposing forces, yin yang D) All of the above
A
The Great Western Schism (1378-1417) refers to _______ A) More than one man claiming to be pope B) The anti-papal movement led by John Wycliffe of England C) The Czech religious reform movement led by Jan Hus D) The resignation of three successive popes
A
The Punic Wars were fought between A) Rome and Carthage B) An army led by Julius Caesar and another led by Pompey C) Rome and an army led by Spartacus D) Rome and Greece
A
The Silk Road was _______ A) A network of routes from China to the Mediterranean Sea B) Limited to caravans carrying only silk C) The path in a single caravan followed to the end D) Wholly in Chinese territory
A
The West African kingdom of Ghana was an example of an ancient kingdom whose economic strength was based primarily on A) The presence of a valuable natural resource B) A new military technology, which it used to conquer others C) Feats of engineering to control the flood waters of a major river D) The matrilineal nature of its tribal societies
A
The alphabet for Slavic languages, which is still in use today, was devised by A) Sts. Cyril and Methodius B) Justinian C) Yaroslav D) Benedict
A
The code of chivalry required knights to: A) Be brave, honorable, and courteous B) Hunt from horseback only C) Live in a castle D) Always carry a sword
A
The kingdom of Kush was one of several ancient kingdoms in northeastern Africa that benefited from A) Being located on a water route that allowed access to the Mediterranean Sea B) Their original invention of iron, a technology they spread to other kingdoms as far away as Asia Minor
A
The rapid expansion of trade in the late Middle Ages resulted in the need for ___________ A) A more efficient barter system B) A common medium of exchange C) Taxes on imported goods D) Smaller towns
A
The use of arabesques as a decorative element in Islamic art developed mainly because of _______ A) Religious prohibitions against making images of living creatures B) Islamic interest in geometry C) The influence of intricate Persian designs in carpets D) The delight Muslims took in garden flowers and plants
A
The word bourgeoise, burgesses or burghers are derived from the root word meaning A) Town B) Middle C) Peasant D) Lord
A
Viking expeditions out of Scandinavia were triggered by A) Overpopulation and land pressure at home B) Mongol assaults on their homeland C) Frankish pressure on their frontiers D) A desire to spread their faith to distant lands
A
What is nirvana? A) A state of enlightenment B) A large stone mount built over the body of the Buddha C) A branch of Buddhism D) One of the Four Noble Truths
A
Which ONE of the following pairs correctly links a geographical feature with the region of Africa in which it is located? A) Sahara Desert: North Africa B) Great Rift Valley: West Africa C) Tropical rain forests: South Africa D) Kalahari Desert: East Africa
A
Which of the following is NOT a correct statement about the Etruscans? A) The Etruscans formed the basis for Latin B) The Etruscans dominated Rome during the rule of the Tarquins, leading to the overthrow of Tarquin rule and the establishment of a republic C) Etruscan art was expressive and decorative D) Based on archaeological records, Etruscan society seemed to consist of wealthy overlords and aristocratic priests presiding over a slave labor force of subject peoples
A
Which of the following is NOT true about the Visigoths? A) They were led by Attila B) They helped stop the invasion of Huns in Italy C) They won a major victory over the Roman army in the Balkan Peninsula D) Under Alaric, they sacked Rome in 410 AD
A
Which statement is true of our knowledge of Harappan (Early Indus River) society? A) There is evidence that they traded with the people of Mesopotamia B) Their written language has been translated C) Historians are sure they know why Harappan society disappeared D) Artifacts suggest they probably did not worship multiple gods
A
Which statement is true of the Aryans? A) They were an Indo-European group B) They were the original settlers of the Indus River valley C) They were a peaceful people D) All of the above
A
Who wrote the Aenid, which connected the founding of Rome to Troy and the goddess Venus? A) Vergil B) Tacitus C) Ovid D) Horace
A
According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha Gautama began his quest for truth after A) He experienced a flash of insight while meditating under a tree B) Witnessing sciences of human misery for the first time C) Suffering greatly during an impoverished childhood D) Becoming a charioteer for a Kshatriya prince
B
An overlord received from his vassals? A) Penance B) Homage C) Dowry D) Indulgences
B
Ashoka adopted Buddhism after A) The collapse of the Hindu caste system B) Surveying the aftermath of a brutal battle in which his soldiers slaughtered their enemies C) Seven years of wandering and fasting D) Missionaries from China instructed him in their faith
B
Charles (the "Hammer") Martel A) Was the first Germanic ruler to accept Catholicism B) Checked the expansion of Islam into Europe, ensuring that Christianity would remain the dominant religion in Europe C) Expanded the dominant of the Frankish Empire to include most of Western Europe D) Was anointed by the pope as emperor
B
Expulsion from the Church is called A) Heresy B) Excommunication C) The Inquisition D) Salvation
B
How did lofty mountain ranges affect life on the Indian subcontinent? A) They blocked the monsoons and kept the climate dry B) They were a natural barrier against invaders C) They discouraged trade between cities D) All of the above
B
Identify dharma A) A collection of poems B) A person's duties C) A caste system D) A temple
B
Jan Hus and John Wycliffe A) Were feudal lords who prefigured the industrial revolution by introducing technology to their fiefs B) Were Church reformers who prefigured the Protestant Reformation C) Were monastic reformers who helped create orders of clerics regular D) Were corrupt Church officials who used their ecclesial positions for political gain
B
Of the following, which describes an accomplishment of the Zhou dynasty? A) They began developing a Chinese alphabet B) They invented the iron plow C) They established a law code throughout China D) All of the above
B
The Edict of Milan decreed that A) All old Hellenistic and Roman religions were banned B) All religious groups in the empire were free to worship as they pleased C) The church was a hierarchy D) Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire
B
The conversion of Prince Vladimir of Kiev in 10th Century AD A) Was from Eastern Orthodoxy to Roman Catholicism and represented a cultural shift to the West B) Was from worship of nature spirits, ancestors, and deities to Eastern Orthodoxy and strengthened the connection between Byzantium and Kiev C) Was from worship of nature spirits, ancestors and deities to Roman Catholicism and solidified the alliance with Rome D) Was from Roman Catholicism to Eastern Orthodoxy and strengthened the connection between Byzantium and Kiev
B
The five pillars of Islam do NOT include_____? A) Prayer B) Honoring parents C) Almsgiving D) Fasting
B
The flying buttresses of Gothic architecture meant that _________ A) Churches had to have thicker walls B) There was more space for stained-glass windows C) Ceilings were lower and could be decorated with art D) All of the above
B
The heart of the Byzantine Empire was formed by _______ A) The Arabian Peninsula B) Lands once part of the Greek world C) The Italian peninsula D) Persia
B
The lay investiture controversy was important because A) The signs of the bishop were a staff and a ring B) It highlighted the power struggle between secular and religious authorities in medieval Europe C) It led to the creation of the College of Cardinals D) It was a major heresy in the early Church
B
The merchants of Mecca (Makkah) rejected Muhammad's message mainly because __________ A) They feared the city's economy would be ruined B) He said that the rich should share their wealth C) He stated there was only one God D) He said that God would punish evil-doers
B
The most powerful European royal family in the late Middle Ages was that of ________ A) York B) The Hapsburgs C) Casimir D) The Ottomans
B
The new city the Abbasids built to be the focus of their dynasty was ________ A) Bukhara B) Baghdad C) Tashkent D) Damascus
B
The paterfamilias was A) The head of household in Roman Republic, could be male or female, whoever was oldest B) The father and head of the household in the Roman Republic and exercised absolute authority C) The Etruscan family which provided kings to rule ancient Rome before the Republic D) If a woman married the paterfamilias, she could hold property independent of her husband
B
To be a Daoist, one had to___________ A) Renounce Confucianism B) Reconcile opposites C) Renounce worldly ambitions D) Join a religious group
B
Town charters A) Were established by feudal lords to enforce feudal law B) Were granted by kings to limit the power of feudal lords and to encourage economic development C) Were established by peasants to ensure the protection of feudal laws D) Were established by monarchs to sustain the feudal system
B
What factor limited the Chinese civil service's fairness? A) Corruption in government B) The expense of education C) The size of the population D) The emperor's bias
B
What two famous generals faced each other at the Battle of Zama in the Second Punic War? A) Constantine and Maxentius B) Scipio and Hannibal C) Octavian and Crassus D) Pompey and Mark Antony
B
Which of the following is the least likely to explain why Julius Caesar was assassinated? A) Senators were jealous of his power B) The Roman people were unhappy with his proposals to cut back social welfare C) He wished to make himself a king, thus ending the Roman Republic D) He defied the power of the Senate by crossing the Rubicon with his soldiers in defiance of government orders
B
Which term names the step after apprentice A) Guild B) Journeyman C) Master D) Burgher
B
Who was the first Emperor to become Christian and proclaim freedom of worship? A) Diocletian B) Constantine C) Helena D) Theodosius
B
A Steppe is a(n)_________ A) Type of dome typical of Orthodox Churches B) Extended village C) Immese, semi-arid plain D) Trading post
C
Asoka is regarded as an enlightened ruler for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: A) He sponsored missionaries to spread Buddhism's message of peace throughout South Asia B) He provides free hospitals C) He allowed Islamic missionaries into India D) He built roads and rest houses to facilitate travel and commerce
C
Iconoclasts A) Supported the use of images and statues in worship B) Advocated for change in the way the church was governed C) Opposed the use of images and statues in worship D) Did not have a scriptural basis for their arguments
C
In feudalism, peasants ___________ A) Were vassals, the people between a lord and a king B) Enjoyed a high rate of literacy C) Exchanged work on the land for a lord's protection D) Were mounted warriors
C
Moscow was referred to as the Third of Rome for all of the following reasons EXCEPT? A) Its rulers and people wanted to glorify their power and the extent of their rule B) The niece of the last Byzantine Emperor married Ivan III, giving him a reason to call himself the Czar (or Tsar), meaning Caesar C) The city had strong ties to the Roman Catholic Church D) The city saw itself as the capital of Orthodox Christianity after the fall of Byzantium
C
Of the following, which were the plebians' chosen representatives? A) consuls B) dictators C) tribunes D) senators
C
One significant result of disunity in the Church in the 14th century was that A) Feudal lords were able to reassert their primacy in medieval society B) The papacy was dominated by English popes C) Europeans felt a greater sense of loyalty to their monarchs than to the pope D) All of the above
C
The Justinian Code _________ A) Was written by the Emperor Justinian himself B) Was the first law code in history C) Preserved and organized Rome's legal heritage D) Was never completed
C
The Mayans were particularly noted for I. Their unusual spiritual beliefs and calendrical system II. Their achievements in astronomy and mathematics III. Their literature and music IV. Their Republican government system A) III only B) IV only C) I and II D) I, III, and IV
C
The annual pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah) is called the _________ A) Mosque B) Imam C) Hajj D) Sheikh
C
The author the Confessions, which described his conversion to Christianity, and the City of God, was A) Constantine B) St. Paul C) St. Augustine D) Antioch
C
The significance of the Magna Carta was that it A) Restored control of England to the Anglo-Saxons B) Started the first census in Western Europe since Roman times C) Placed clear limits on royal power D) All of the above
C
Those opposing the use of religious images as symbols were called A) Schisms B) Patriarchs C) Iconoclasts D) Laity
C
What is Brahman Nerguna in Hinduism? A) A religious thinker B) A collection of religious writings C) The one eternal spirit D) Reincarnation
C
Which of the following was NOT a threat to the Carolingian kingdoms in the last centuries of the first millennium AD? A) The Muslims from North Africa B) The Avars from eastern Europe C) The Mongols from central Asia D) The Vikings from Scandinavia
C
Which statement is true of Sanskrit? A) Warriors and priests used it only for ceremonial purposes B) It never developed a written form C) It has many of the same root words as English D) It is no longer spoken in any form
C
According to stories told about them, Romulus and Remus A) Were the legendary founders of Rome B) Were twin brothers C) Showed that Romans valued enterprise and overcoming adversity D) All of the Above
D
Alfred the Great was noted for ____________ A) Having United the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms B) The revival of learning C) Defeating the Danes D) All of the above
D
All of the following were Roman innovations during the Punic Wars EXCEPT: A) Grappling hooks to enable Roman soldiers to fight naval battles more effectively B) The organization of soldiers into legions and smaller units for greater mobility C) The abandonment of Greek-style phalanxes for stronger, more mobile formations D) The development of canonns and other firearms
D
All of the following were effects of the Crusades EXCEPT: A) A breaking down of feudalism and strengthening of monarchies B) An increase in knowledge of technology C) An increase in trade in the Eastern Mediterranean D) A strengthening of the power of feudal lords
D
Before Muhammad's revelation, Mecca (Makkah) was __________ A) A crossroads of commerce B) A well-to-do community C) The site of a holy shrine for idols D) All of the Above
D
Christianity became the official, and the only, authorized religion of the Roman Empire under ________ A) Augustine B) Hadrian C) Constantine D) Theodosius
D
Constantinople's location on the Bosporus meant that _________ A) It had a natural barrier from attack B) It could control trade between Asia Minor and Europe C) It could control maritime trade between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea D) All of the Above
D
Government policy after the Pax Romana created inflation in Rome, meaning that A) Prices rose B) Salaries kept rising C) The value of money decreased D) All of the above
D
Legalisms in ancient China _____________ A) Opposed Confucian ideas B) Emphasized the importance of strict laws C) Believed in harsh punishments D) All of the above
D
Major achievements of the brief Qin dynasty included all of the following EXCEPT:? A) The construction of the Great Wall B) Centralizing government under imperial administration C) Standardizing coinage, weights and measures D) Allowing local lords greater freedom to manage their territories
D
Medieval craft guilds A) Maintained the quality standards for a particular type of products B) Were controlled by master artisans C) Established strict rules concerning prices, wages and employment for particular types of artisans D) All of the above
D
Monasteries provided all of the following to medieval society EXCEPT ________ A) Offering foot and lodging to travelers and care for the sick B) Preserving ancient religious works and classical writings C) Serving as centers of religious life D) Allowing women called nuns to consecrate the sacraments
D
Monasticism was important for medieval Europe because A) It provided stability and continuity in a violent world B) It allowed knowledge to be passed on even during the "Dark Ages" C) It was a source of many reforms within the Church D) All of the above
D
Of the following forms of cultural expression during late antiquity, which reflected the influence of the Christian religion? A) Mosaics B) Illuminated manuscripts C) Books about the lives of saints D) All of the above
D
Of the following, which is NOT one of the Four Noble Truths? A) All people suffer and know sorrow B) People could end their suffering by eliminating their desires C) People's desires bind them to the cycle of rebirth D) Only by worshipping Buddha can one reach nirvana
D
Of the following, which is not a social class of ancient India? A) Brahmans B) Kshatriyas C) Sudras D) Vedras
D
The Byzantine Empress Theodora A) Was an active participant in the government of her husband Justinian B) Helped to save Justinian's reign by convincing him to face an uprising with courage C) Improved the social standing of women in Constantinople D) All of the above
D
The First Crusade A) Followed a call from Pope Urban II to take over the Holy Land B) Resulted in the deaths of Jewish and Muslim inhabitants of Jerusalem C) Succeeded in conquering Jerusalem temporarily D) All of the Above
D
The Great Council in England eventually became known as A) Congress B) Estates-General C) Magna Carta D) Parliament
D
The Gupta period in India's history is often considered a "golden age" for all of the following reasons EXCEPT: A) Learning was encouraged B) India made strides in mathematics by developing the concept of zero and what westerners call Hindu-Arabic numerals C) Drama and literature flourished D) The Gupta rulers controlled extensive overseas territories that paid tribute to the Gupta court, financing many building projects such as the Taj Mahal
D
The Mongols, or Tartars, A) Came from Northern Africa and ruled the Eastern Slavs for two centuries B) Came from Scandinavia and ruled the Germanic tribes for two centuries C) Came from Eastern Asia and ruled the Germanic tribes for two centuries D) Came from Eastern Asia and ruled the Eastern Slavs for two centuries
D
The Rightly Guided Caliphs ___________ A) Were the first four who followed Muhammad B) Sought to protect and spread Islam by attacked the Byzantine and Persian Empires C) Ruled Islam before the split into Sunni and Shia sects D) All of the above
D
The money economy A) Led to a weakening of feudalism as peasants became able to buy their freedom B) Allowed trade to flourish because money could be more easily transported than bartered goods C) Led to the creation of early systems of banking so that transfers of money were facilitated D) All of the above
D
The phrase "bread and circuses" refers to A) The economic policy of Diocletian to stem inflation B) The efforts of Spartacus to gain support for his slave revolt C) The propaganda campaign waged in Carthage during the Punic Wars D) The tactics of politicians to gain support of thee urban poor in Rome
D
The struggle in England between the houses of York and Lancaster is called _________ A) The Hundred Years' War B) The War of Jenkin's Ear C) The Thirty Years War D) The War Of the Roses
D
Which factor led to the isolation of the Eastern Slavs from Western Europe? A) Their use of the Cyrillic alphabet B) The Mongol invasion and occupation C) Their acceptance of Eastern Orthodoxy D) All of the Above
D
Which of the following are significant about the aftermath of the Battle of Tours, 732 AD, and its impact on medieval society and warfare? I. Muslim invaders were repulsed from France II. Charlemagne's heirs were forced to settle for a truce against the Viking invaders III. The use of stirrups and the importance of mounted warriors on horseback was introduced to medieval Europe IV. The feudal system evolved in part as a response to the necessity and high cost of supporting heavily armed, mounted knights A) I only B) III only C) II and IV D) I, III, and IV
D
Which of the following are true regarding Mississippian mound-building culture? I. They built large earthen mounds, often in the shape of animals II. Much of their culture remains a mystery because they left no written records and their societies were largely wiped out European diseases before they could be studied first-hand III. The largest center of mound-building culture, at Cahokia near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, probably supported a population of 40,000 IV. Archaeologists generally agree that the mounds had some ceremonial function A) I only B) II only C) I and IV D) I, II, III, and IV
D
Which of the following are true statements about the Pax Romana? I. The Roman world was largely at peace from about 31BC to 180AD II. Roman architecture flourished III. Commerce thrived as Roman roads and Mediterranean sea routes were readily used for trade IV. Rome reached the height of its territorial expansion A) I only B) II only C) I and III only D) I, II, III, and IV
D
Which of the following is NOT true about Marcus Aurelius? A) He is generally regarded as one of the "good emperors" B) He was the last emperor to rule during the Pax Romana C) He recorded his Stoic philosophy in his Meditations D) His reckless use of Rome's military power brought an end to the Pax Romana
D
Which of the following is NOT true about the difference between the Sunni and Shia branches of Islam? A) Sunnis and Shiites split over who should be the ruler of Islam B) Worldwide, Sunnis are the largest group within Islam C) Shia Muslims control modern-day Iran D) They differ over the role of Muhammad as the Prophet of Islam
D
Which of the following is true of Charlemagne's rule? A) He nearly doubled the size of his kingdom B) He helped revive learning in Europe C) He was crowned as the new Roman emperor in the west D) All of the Above
D
Which of the following motivated the Crusaders I. A desire to free the Holy Land from Muslim control II. A desire to obtain land or wealth III. The Pope's promise that, by going on a crusade, one's sins would be removed IV. A sense of adventure and desire to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem A) I only B) I and II C) II and III D) I, II, III, and IV
D
Which statement described Chandragupta Maurya when he ruled Magadha? A) He used an extensive spy system B) He established an efficient postal system C) He maintained a strong army D) All of the above
D
