AP World History : Literature, Art, and Architecture

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP World History

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Example Questions

Example Question #411 : Cultural History

The story of __________ is the most famous example of a troubadour poem in Spanish culture.

Possible Answers:

Don Juan

Don Quixote

Lothario

El Cid

Cervantes

Correct answer:

El Cid

Explanation:

The epic poem that tells of the adventures of El Cid is the most famous example of a troubadour poem in Spanish culture. El Cid is a national hero in Spanish literature and culture.

Example Question #412 : Cultural History

Hildegard von Bingen is famous for __________.

Possible Answers:

her marriage to the French king which set off the Thirty Years’ War

her contributions to the development of the modern German language

her contributions to theology and political theory

her marriage to the Spanish king which sparked the War of Spanish Succession

her contributions to science and musical composition

Correct answer:

her contributions to science and musical composition

Explanation:

Hildegard von Bingen was a German nun who lived in the twelfth century. She is famous for her contributions to the natural sciences and for her exemplary musical compositions.

Example Question #413 : Cultural History

The University of Sankore was built in __________.

Possible Answers:

Harun-al Rashid’s Arabia

Askia’s Songhai

Mansa Musa’s Mali

Saladin’s Egypt

Timur’s Jagatai Khanate

Correct answer:

Mansa Musa’s Mali

Explanation:

The University of Sankore was built in Timbuktu in the thirteenth century, during the reign of Mansa Musa in Mali. The University of Sankore was a mosque, a library, and a madrasa. It is an example of the prominent mud-and-stick mosques of West Africa.

Example Question #414 : Cultural History

Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta are both famous for __________.

Possible Answers:

their contributions to mathematics and engineering

leading rebellions against Mongol rule in the Middle East

their poetry and essays on political theory

their leadership roles during the Crusades

travelling extensively around the known world

Correct answer:

travelling extensively around the known world

Explanation:

Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta are both famous for travelling extensively around the known world and writing about their travels for a wider audience. Marco Polo was famous in the European world, whereas Ibn Battuta was famous in the Islamic world.

 

Example Question #11 : Literature, Art, And Architecture 600 Ce To 1450

Which of the following authors wrote The Canterbury Tales, a work of fiction famous for criticizing the spiritual life of England and popularizing the use of English as a medium for literature?

Possible Answers:

Geoffrey Chaucer

Jonathan Swift

William Shakespeare

John Locke

Correct answer:

Geoffrey Chaucer

Explanation:

Jonathan Swift was best known for A Modest Proposal and he lived a few centuries after the publication of The Canterbury Tales, so he would not be a good choice. John Locke was an English philosopher and did not write fiction, so he would also not be a good choice. William Shakespeare might seem to be a good choice, however he wrote many years after The Canterbury Tales, and English was a popular medium for literary works in his time. Lastly, Chaucer is very well known for The Canterbury Tales, and as such he is the best choice.

Example Question #12 : Literature, Art, And Architecture 600 Ce To 1450

Who wrote The Canterbury Tales?

Possible Answers:

Petrarch

Geoffrey Chaucer

Dante Alighieri

Francis Bacon

Thomas More

Correct answer:

Geoffrey Chaucer

Explanation:

The Canterbury Tales was written by the Englishman Geoffrey Chaucer in the fourteenth century. It is considered to be of particular importance for encouraging the spread of vernacular English in English society.

Example Question #13 : Literature, Art, And Architecture 600 Ce To 1450

Rumi is a notable poet in the __________ tradition.

Possible Answers:

Sunni

Wahhabi

Salafist

Shiite

Sufi

Correct answer:

Sufi

Explanation:

Rumi is a notable Sufi poet who lived in the thirteenth century. Sufism is often called “the mystical branch of Islam.” It grew in popularity during the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate. Sufism, as distinct from other denominations of Islam, emphasizes spiritual union with Allah through a series of mystical ceremonies. Sufism has a long tradition of elegant poetry, and Rumi is the most famous poet in this tradition.

 

Example Question #14 : Literature, Art, And Architecture 600 Ce To 1450

What is a troubadour?

Possible Answers:

an astronomer

a poet

a traveler

an architect

a soldier

Correct answer:

a poet

Explanation:

A troubadour is a poet. Troubadour poems were especially popular in western European society (most notably in France) during the High Middle Ages.

Example Question #15 : Literature, Art, And Architecture 600 Ce To 1450

The Japanese city of Heian was designed to emulate __________.

Possible Answers:

the Mongol capital Karakorum

the Umayyad capital Damascus

the Chinese capital Chang’an

the Chinese capital Beijing

the Abbasid capital Baghdad

Correct answer:

the Chinese capital Chang’an

Explanation:

The Japanese city of Heian was built during the classical period of Japanese history (The Nara and Heian periods). This was a time when Japanese culture was closely tied to Chinese culture. The Japanese city of Heian was modelled after the Chinese capital of Chang’an, with its notable grid layout.

Example Question #16 : Literature, Art, And Architecture 600 Ce To 1450

Which of these themes is most likely to be the focus of a troubadour poem?

Possible Answers:

Enlightenment

Free will

Stoicism

Rationality

Chivalry

Correct answer:

Chivalry

Explanation:

Troubadour poems were influential in western European society in the High Middle Ages. Troubadour poems were usually poems that were sung by a bard or “troubadour.” Common themes of troubadour poems include chivalry, love, and bravery.

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