AP World History : Political History

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP World History

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Example Questions

Example Question #291 : Political History

Which of the following accurately describes a present-day geographic boundary of the Ottoman Empire at its greatest extent?

Possible Answers:

North to Bosnia

East to Iran

East to Syria

West to Bulgaria

South to Cyprus

Correct answer:

East to Iran

Explanation:

The correct answer is east to Iran because that was the furthest east that the Ottoman Empire extended. North to Bosnia is incorrect because the northern boundary stretched into present-day southern Poland at one time. The southern boundary stretched into North Africa, making "south to Cyprus" incorrect. The western boundary covered Bosnia and territories were even seized in Tunisia, making the "West to Bulgaria" answer incorrect. 

Example Question #292 : Political History

Which European power first colonized South Africa?

Possible Answers:

Britain

The Netherlands

Portugal

Germany

Correct answer:

The Netherlands

Explanation:

The first European colony in South Africa was settled by the Dutch East India Company, at the southernmost point of South Africa as a refueling and restocking area for ships sailing around the Horn of Africa and on to the East. There was no challenge of that initial settlement from locals, as the initial land was rocky and inhospitable, and frequently subjected to harsh storms.

Example Question #293 : Political History

Which European power supplanted the Dutch in control of South Africa?

Possible Answers:

The British

The Germans

The Portuguese

The Americans

Correct answer:

The British

Explanation:

At the turn of the 19th century, the British seized control of Cape Town, and British colonists began to flow into South Africa. The original Dutch colonists who traveled inland from the coast to establish farms became known as the "Boers". The Germans controlled colonies to the North of South Africa and would eventually lose them after World War I, and while America had heavy ties politically to South Africa, especially in the mid-19th century and beyond, it wasn't directly in control.

Example Question #294 : Political History

The Safavid family ruled territory in modern-day ______________ for much of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Possible Answers:

Syria

Iran

Saudi Arabia

Turkey

Egypt

Correct answer:

Iran

Explanation:

The Safavid Dynasty ruled over territory in modern-day Iran for much of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Safavids are considered one of the “modern Persian Empires.”

Example Question #1013 : Ap World History

Which of these statements about Suleiman the Magnificent is least accurate?

Possible Answers:

He greatly expanded Ottoman territory in southeastern Europe

He was a renowned patron of the arts

He modernized the military

He was intolerant of religions other than Islam

He improved the Ottoman legal system, basing it on Sharia law

Correct answer:

He was intolerant of religions other than Islam

Explanation:

Suleiman the Magnificent is one of the most famous and accomplished of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire. Suleiman expanded Ottoman control into southeastern Europe; he improved the Ottoman legal system and modernized the military; and he was a renowned patron of the arts. The height of the Ottoman Empire’s power and prestige is thought to have occurred during his reign. He was relatively tolerant of other religions, and allowed people to practice their religions freely in the Ottoman Empire.

Example Question #28 : Empires, Colonialism, Imperialism, Decolonization, And Globalization 1450 To 1750

While Spain and Portugal settled almost all of South America, which three nations settled the majority of land in North America?

Possible Answers:

Sweden, France, and Germany

France, England, and Russia

Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden

The Netherlands, France, and England

England, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire

Correct answer:

The Netherlands, France, and England

Explanation:

The Netherlands, France, and England were the three European nations who most extensively settled land in North America. English and Dutch colonies could be found all along the eastern seaboard in the seventeenth century. Many French colonies were established in modern-day Canada in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Not to mention the later French establishment of New Orleans and the Louisiana territory.

Example Question #295 : Political History

Most French colonies in North America were founded in modern-day __________.

Possible Answers:

Mexico

United States

Cuba

Canada

Puerto Rico

Correct answer:

Canada

Explanation:

French colonies in North America were mostly founded in modern-day Canada. Unlike the Spanish who established profitable plantations in the Caribbean and Latin America and the Dutch and British who established permanent settlements on the eastern seaboard of the modern-day United States, the earliest French settlers were fur traders who made their business in the north of the continent. The state of Quebec, in modern-day Canada, is a reminder of the once pervasive French influence in north America.

Example Question #296 : Political History

Which of these statements about Pachacuti is accurate?

Possible Answers:

He was an Aztec ruler who formed the famed triple alliance between the Aztecs and neighboring states

He was an Aztec priest who challenged the authority of Montezuma, and ultimately allied himself with the invading Spanish

He was an Inca priest who led the people in a revolt against the reigning Inca king

He was an Inca ruler who dramatically expanded the size of the empire through military conquest

He was a Mayan ruler who ordered the construction of Tikal and Palenque

Correct answer:

He was an Inca ruler who dramatically expanded the size of the empire through military conquest

Explanation:

Pachacuti ruled over the Kingdom of Cusco in the fifteenth century, which, through the development of infrastructure and rapid military conquest, he developed into the Inca Empire. By the time of the arrival of the Spanish, a century later, the Inca Empire had expanded to control much of the western coast of South America and the Andean mountain range.

Example Question #118 : Empires, Colonialism, Imperialism, And Decolonization

The Inca Empire __________.

Possible Answers:

grew over hundreds of years, but was dismantled in less than six months by the Spanish

grew over hundreds of years, but was dismantled in less than six months by the Portuguese

grew very quickly before being dismantled even more quickly by the Portuguese

was peacefully assimilated into the Spanish Empire in South America

grew very quickly before being dismantled even more quickly by the Spanish

Correct answer:

grew very quickly before being dismantled even more quickly by the Spanish

Explanation:

The Inca Empire grew rapidly in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. By the time the Spanish arrived in the early sixteenth century, the Inca had conquered a territory stretching more than three thousand miles in just a few generations. The Inca Empire was, however, dismantled by the Spanish even more quickly than it arose.

Example Question #296 : Political History

Huayna Capac and Pachacuti were both __________.

Possible Answers:

Tokugawa Shoguns

Aztec warlords

Abbasid Caliphs

Mongol warlords

Inca Emperors

Correct answer:

Inca Emperors

Explanation:

Huayna Capac and Pachacuti are the two most famous rulers of the Inca Empire. Huayna Capac ruled for more than fifty years and was the last great emperor before the arrival of the Spanish. Pachacuti is known for taking the small Kingdom of Cusco and transforming it, through military conquest, into the Inca Empire.

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