European History : European History

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for European History

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Cultural And Intellectual History

Sigmund Freud, the Austrian inventor of Psychology, pioneered a school of thought called ______________, which focused heavily on the interpretation of ___________.

Possible Answers:

hypnosis . . . dreams

hypnosis . . . memories

dream psychology . . . dreams

psychoanalysis . . . dreams

dream psychology . . . memories

Correct answer:

psychoanalysis . . . dreams

Explanation:

Sigmund Freud pioneered a new school of psychological interpretation called psychoanalysis. It allowed for the rigorous study, classification, and treatment of psychological disorders. Freud believed that there were many conscious and unconscious associations between dreams and the inner workings of a persons mind, and relied heavily on dream interpretation during his clinical work. 

Example Question #12 : Cultural And Intellectual History

Many historians describe the Renaissance as a period in which Europeans experienced a renewed interest in ___________.

Possible Answers:

the principles of Hinduism

Ancient African civilizations

East Asian imperial court culture

Greek and Roman knowledge and culture

Middle Eastern agriculture techniques

Correct answer:

Greek and Roman knowledge and culture

Explanation:

During the Renaissance, much of Europe became captivated with the classical Greek and Roman civilizations. Artists, inventors, and philosophers used Greek and Roman culture, knowledge, and values as inspiration for new works of art, structures, and technologies. The other answers are incorrect because they were not cultural aspects held in high regard by Europeans.

Example Question #13 : Cultural And Intellectual History

Which art movement rose to prominence in Europe between the years of 1800 and 1850?

Possible Answers:

Baroque

Impressionism

Neoclassicism

Romanticism

Realism

Correct answer:

Romanticism

Explanation:

Romanticism was an art form that rose to prominence in Europe from the early to mid 19th century. 

Romantic artwork emphasized capturing intense emotions such as shock, terror, and awe.

Example Question #14 : Cultural And Intellectual History

The novel Frankenstein was written by which of the following British authors?

Possible Answers:

Voltaire

Byron

Percy Shelley

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Mary Shelley

Correct answer:

Mary Shelley

Explanation:

Voltaire was a French author, so he would not be a good choice here. Samuel Taylor Coleridge was a poet and did not write novels, so he would not be a good choice here. Byron and Percy Shelley were friends and moved in the same circles, although they did not write the novel in question, so they would not be good answers. Lastly, Mary Shelley is the author of Frankenstein (1818), and although she initially published anonymously she is widely credited as the author, so she would be the best choice.

Example Question #15 : Cultural And Intellectual History

The Canterbury Tales was written by which famous English author?

Possible Answers:

Percy Shelley

Geoffrey Chaucer

Moliere

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Byron

Correct answer:

Geoffrey Chaucer

Explanation:

Geoffrey Chaucer famously wrote the Canterbury Tales, so he would be the best answer here. Percy Shelley and Byron were both English authors, but they lived centuries after the publishing of the book in question, so they would not be good answer choices. Samuel Taylor Coleridge was English but he wrote primarily poems, so he would not be the best choice. Lastly, Moliere was a French playwright, so he would not be the best answer here.

Example Question #16 : Cultural And Intellectual History

The Idiot was a lesser known work from ________________ and written in the _______________ century.

Possible Answers:

Leo Tolstoy . . . 19th

Leo Tolstoy . . . 20th

Vladimir Nabokov . . . 20th

Fyodor Dostoyevsky . . . 19th

Fyodor Dostoyevsky . . . 20th

Correct answer:

Fyodor Dostoyevsky . . . 19th

Explanation:

Fyodor Dostoyevsky is one of the two most important Russian literary figures of the 20th century, the other being Leo Tolstoy. Dostoyevsky wrote philosophical and psychological novels that explored themes of faith, duty, country, love, depression, grief, and family, among others. His two most famous works are The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment

Example Question #17 : Cultural And Intellectual History

The _________ painter ___________ famous works include Woman with a Parasol, Camille, and Water Lilies

Possible Answers:

Impressionist . . . Édouard Manet

Impressionist . . . Claude Monet

Baroque . . . Claude Monet

Baroque . . . Rembrandt 

Impressionist . . . Edgar Degas

Correct answer:

Impressionist . . . Claude Monet

Explanation:

Claude Monet was an impressionist painter who painted many famous and important works in 19th century France. He is widely considered the father of Impressionism, and is not to be confused with Édouard Manet

Example Question #18 : Cultural And Intellectual History

The 20th-century novel Lolita, written by Russian author Vladimir Nabokov, has a plot that primarily revolves around ______________.

Possible Answers:

a psychological thriller about a detective who must find a missing girl

a story of a young woman who runs away from home and is forced to become a prostitute to survive

a wry look on married life from the perspective of a young girl observing her parents

a chilling portrayal of a sexual deviant's abduction and subsequent relationship with a 12 year old girl

an autobiographical novel about the author's relationship with all women, using the character of Lolita as a symbol for femininity and all women

Correct answer:

a chilling portrayal of a sexual deviant's abduction and subsequent relationship with a 12 year old girl

Explanation:

One of the most important writers of the 20th century, Vladimir Nabokov pushed the boundaries of not only what was socially acceptable, but what readers could handle. His novel Lolita features a chilling look at a sexual deviant's abduction and subsequent relationship with a pre-teenage girl.

Example Question #19 : Cultural And Intellectual History

Which famous Russian author wrote both War and Peace and Anna Karenina?

Possible Answers:

Vladimir Nabokov

Leo Tolstoy

Anton Chekhov

Alexander Pushkin

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Correct answer:

Leo Tolstoy

Explanation:

One of, perhaps the, most famous Russian author of all time, Leo Tolstoy wrote in the 20th century. His most famous works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina

Example Question #1 : Politics And Society

The temperance movement in Great Britain was based on the idea that _____________.

Possible Answers:

many social ills could be traced back to an increasing tide of secularism moving over the general population

sexual licentiousness was the cause of epidemic levels of sexual transmitted disease in the general population

many social ills could be traced back to widespread excessive alcohol consumption

social welfare as the solution to many societal imbalances

Correct answer:

many social ills could be traced back to widespread excessive alcohol consumption

Explanation:

The temperance movement spread around Britain in the nineteenth century as many religious leaders and middle-class women began to speak out against the evils of alcohol. Many women believed that alcohol was responsible for many of social ills such as the mistreatment of women, the idleness of some men, and the fact that so many young children were growing up on the streets or without a father. Despite early success of the temperance movement, prohibition movements never spread in Britain like they did in the United States.

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