AP European History : Diffusion of Knowledge among Social Groupings
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP European History
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Example Questions
Example Question #207 : Cultural And Intellectual History
Francesco Guicciardini is most famous for __________.
writing a political tract about the duties of a ruling prince
refuting the Aristotelian model of the universe
spreading reformation ideas to Eastern Europe
revolutionizing historiography with his history of Italy
developing the vernacular language of Croatia
revolutionizing historiography with his history of Italy
Francesco Guicciardini wrote The History of Italy during the Italian Renaissance. Guicciardini’s most famous work was intended as a contemporary history of Italy during the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and was intended for as wide an audience as possible. Guicciardini is responsible for advancing the study of history with his revolutionary historiography and is rightly credited with spreading an understanding of Renaissance Italian history around Europe.
Example Question #206 : Ap European History
Scholasticism, the dominant teaching method of the Medieval era, was widely criticized by humanists during the Renaissance because it __________.
focused exclusively on elite culture and ignored the experiences of the majority of people
None of these answers is correct; scholasticism was admired by the humanists
relied on inductive reasoning
deferred to the authority of traditional sources rather than applying logic and observation
ignored all secular concerns and focused only on the glorification of God
deferred to the authority of traditional sources rather than applying logic and observation
Scholasticism was the dominant method of teaching among academics beginning around the eleventh century and continuing until the Scientific Revolution. It arose out of the European tradition of monastic learning but was widely criticized by humanists during the Renaissance. The humanists derided scholasticism for being based on reverence for traditional and authoritative sources rather than being based on human reason and observation.
Example Question #11 : Diffusion Of Knowledge Among Social Groupings
Lorenzo Valla is most frequently remembered for __________.
his writings on the nature of man and his relationship with God
disproving the validity of the Donation of Constantine
establishing the first university outside of the Italian peninsula
developing the vernacular language in France
extending educational opportunities to the middle class in Renaissance France and Italy
disproving the validity of the Donation of Constantine
Lorenzo Valla was an Italian humanist who lived during the fifteenth century. He is most famous for disproving the validity of the Donation of Constantine through an analysis of vernacular language and context. The Donation of Constantine was a document said to be dated to the fourth century whereby the Roman Emperor Constantine donated the entirety of the Western Roman Empire to the Catholic Church. Obviously, asserting the authenticity of this document served the interests of the Catholic Church, and they were thus disinclined to accept the arguments made by Valla. Nonetheless, Valla's arguments were adopted by other humanists and the fraudulent nature of the Donation of Constantine was eventually accepted.
Example Question #210 : Cultural And Intellectual History
What was a Salon during the Enlightenment?
A meeting place for members of the nobility
An underground university
A French barber shop
A gathering to discuss philosophy
A gathering to discuss philosophy
A Salon served as a gathering place for philosophical thinkers. It was the setting for them to discuss the government, society, and the human condition.
Example Question #12 : Diffusion Of Knowledge Among Social Groupings
The world wide web was invented by __________.
C.E.R.N, also known as The European Organization for Nuclear Research
The Central Intelligence Agency
The United States government
The European Union
a small group of independent British inventors
C.E.R.N, also known as The European Organization for Nuclear Research
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (known as CERN, an acronym of its French name) was established in 1954 as a collaborative scientific effort of the member nations of the European Union. It is now, debatably, the most innovative institution on Earth, and is undertaking experiments to ascertain the nature of elemental matter. In 2015, CERN's greatest contribution to mankind has probably been the invention of the internet. Originally invented to help scientists communicate data to one another more efficiently, it has since spread globally and promotes education and understanding around the world.
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