SAT II World History : Cause and Effect in History

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II World History

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Cause And Effect In History

The primary result of the Boxer Rebellion was __________.

Possible Answers:

the growth of Chinese nationalism 

the weakening of China’s military 

the spread of Marxist philosophy amongst Chinese peasants 

an end to British policies of trading opium to the Chinese 

the adoption of Christianity by much of the Chinese population

Correct answer:

the growth of Chinese nationalism 

Explanation:

The Boxer Rebellion occurred between 1898 and 1900. It was a Chinese peasantry revolt against the spread of Christianity and Western influence in China, and it was was put down by a combined effort of the Western imperial powers. The Boxer Rebellion helped to entrench growing Chinese nationalism, as it provided a context of “us versus them.” The growth of nationalism was particularly felt in Northern and Eastern China.

Example Question #2 : Cause And Effect In History

Which of these is in correct chronological order?

Possible Answers:

The death of Julius Caesar; the Black Death; the death of Charlemagne 

The Black Death; the voyage of Columbus; the Glorious Revolution in Britain 

The death of Charlemagne; the Plague of Justinian; the voyage of Columbus 

The Black Death; the voyage of Columbus; the death of Charlemagne 

The voyage of Columbus; the Black Death; the Glorious Revolution in Britain 

Correct answer:

The Black Death; the voyage of Columbus; the Glorious Revolution in Britain 

Explanation:

These types of questions are designed to test whether you can contextualize various important events within the larger scope of human history. Let us tackle this problem by putting all these various events in the order they occurred. Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate in 44 BCE; the Plague of Justinian was an outbreak of bubonic plague that occurred in the early years of the Eastern Roman Empire, under Emperor Justinian I, in 541 CE; the death of Charlemagne (the first Emperor of Western Europe after the Fall of Rome) occurred in 814; the Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history and occurred in Europe from about 1346 to 1353 CE; the Voyage of Columbus to the New World occurred in 1492; and the Glorious Revolution in Britain occurred in 1688.

Example Question #106 : Overarching Themes And Philosophies

Which of these lists of events are in the correct chronological order?

Possible Answers:

Collapse of the Mayan Empire; Voyage of Columbus; University of Cambridge Founded 

Collapse of the Mayan Empire; Voyage of Columbus; Norman Conquest of Britain 

Saladin Captures Jerusalem; Invention of the Printing Press; Voyage of Columbus 

Saladin Captures Jerusalem; Voyage of Columbus; Invention of the Printing Press 

Collapse of the Mayan Empire; Invention of the Printing Press; University of Cambridge Founded 

Correct answer:

Saladin Captures Jerusalem; Invention of the Printing Press; Voyage of Columbus 

Explanation:

These types of questions are designed to test whether you can contextualize various important events within the larger scope of human history. Let us tackle this problem by putting all these various events in the order they occurred. The Collapse of the Mayan Empire occurred between the 8th and 9th Centuries C.E., although the Mayan people continue to live in Mesoamerica to this day; The Norman Conquest of Britain took place in 1066 when William the Conqueror invaded Southern England and eliminated the existing Saxon and Viking centers of power; Saladin is perhaps the most famous of the Medieval Era Arab rulers and he famously re-captured the city of Jerusalem in 1187; The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209 and is, by most accounts, the third longest enduring university in the world; The Printing Press was not invented in Europe until 1450, by Johannes Guttenberg; The Voyage of Columbus, as almost all Americans know, occurred in 1492. 

Example Question #1 : Cause And Effect In History

Which of these events are in the correct chronological order?

Possible Answers:

Fall of Constantinople; Chaucer writes Canterbury Tales; Da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa 

Fall of Constantinople; Fall of the Incan Empire; Voyage of Columbus 

Fall of Constantinople; Chaucer writes Canterbury Tales; Norman Conquest of England 

Chaucer writesr Canterbury Tales; Da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa; Fall of the Incan Empire 

Voyage of Columbus; Fall of Constantinople; Da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa 

Correct answer:

Chaucer writesr Canterbury Tales; Da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa; Fall of the Incan Empire 

Explanation:

These types of questions are designed to test whether you can contextualize various important events within the larger scope of human history. Let us tackle this problem by putting all these various events in the order they occurred. The Norman Conquest of England, when William the Conqueror came over from Northern France and defeated the existing Saxon and Viking institutions of power, occurred in 1066 C.E.; Chaucer wrote his famous Canterbury Tales towards the end of the Fourteenth Century (lack of printing and publishing makes the exact date hard to ascertain); The Fall of Constantinople occurred in 1453, it marked the end of the thousand year existence of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the rise of the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed II; The Voyage of Columbus occurred in 1492; Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa between 1503-1506, at the height of the Italian Renaissance; The Fall of the Incan Empire took place from the arrival of Pizarro and the Spanish Conquistadors, in 1526, until the capture of the last Incan stronghold in 1572. 

Example Question #3 : Cause And Effect In History

China began to economically stagnate and its technological advances slowed during the Ming dynasty due to which of the following? 

Possible Answers:

European discovery of a sea route to Asia

Rapid industrialization in Europe

Defeat in the Opium Wars

Repeated invasions by Mongols

Isolationist policies

Correct answer:

Isolationist policies

Explanation:

The Ming dynasty enacted isolationist policies in the 15th century that severely limited foreign trade, negatively affecting the economy and preventing major foreign innovations from entering China. The major destructive Mongol invasions of China occurred long before the Ming dynasty took over. European industrialization and Chinese defeat in the Opium Wars both occurred after the Ming dynasty was overthrown. The European discovery of a sea route to Asia did not have any major negative effects on Chinese technological and economic advancements.

Example Question #4 : Cause And Effect In History

Which of the following was not a cause of the Russian Revolution?

Possible Answers:

Defeat in war

All of these were causes of the Revolution

Economic collapse and food shortages

Oppressive social class system

Autocratic royal government

Correct answer:

All of these were causes of the Revolution

Explanation:

The deep-rooted causes of the revolution included long-standing popular resentment of both the autocratic, oppressive nature of the czar's government and the oppressive social class system, in which a small elite, namely the royal family and aristocrats, lived in luxury while the vast majority of the population lived in utter poverty. The immediate causes of the revolution were Russian defeats in World War I and the ensuing economic collapse (both due to severe government mismanagement and relative economic backwardness), which caused living conditions to deteriorate further. These immediate factors caused a widespread fall in morale and loss of faith in the czar's regime, leading to open revolt.

Example Question #5 : Cause And Effect In History

Which of the following did not contribute to the decline of imperial Spanish power?

Possible Answers:

The Thirty Years' War

Dependence on gold and silver from the Americas

All of these contributed to the decline of imperial Spanish power

The defeat of the Spanish Armada

None of these contributed to the decline of Spanish imperial power

Correct answer:

All of these contributed to the decline of imperial Spanish power

Explanation:

The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English in 1588 began the decline of Spanish naval power, and also exacerbated Spanish financial difficulties. Throughout the 1500s and 1600s imperial Spain also relied to heavily on gold and silver from its American mines in replenishing its treasury, and in doing so stifled other economic activity and industry, leading to long-term economic problems that ultimately affected its military and political power. The Thirty Years' War saw Spain defeated by France, which emerged as the dominant European military power, further accelerating Spain's decline.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors