All SAT II World History Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #42 : Europe
In Praise of Folly is one the most celebrated works of which Northern-Renaissance writer?
Jan van Eyck
Thomas More
Albrecht Durer
Erasmus
Petrarch
Erasmus
Erasmus is one of the most celebrated writers of the Nothern-Renaissance movement. His most famous work, In Praise of Folly, was written in the early sixteenth century and is essentially a satirical work, in which "folly" praises itself. It was meant as an attack on the abuses of the clergy within the Catholic Church and was widely influential at the time.
Example Question #43 : Europe
Miguel de Cervantes is most famous for writing __________.
Don Quixote
The Canterbury Tales
Paradiso
The Natural Rights of Man
Inferno
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish writer during the Renaissance. He published his most famous work, Don Quixote, in the early seventeenth century. It is one of the most famous novels of all time, and its influence on the Spanish language and Spanish culture is unparalleled.
Example Question #41 : Cultural And Intellectual History
This philosophy was centered around the study of classical writings and emphasized the inherent potential of human-beings.
Dogmatism
Calvinism
Classicism
Humanism
Socialism
Humanism
Humanism arose in the early part of the Renaissance period. It was based on the study of classical writings, and the early humanists revered the Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plato. Humanism emphasized the inherent ability of people to reason, to think critically, and to examine phenomena via evidence.
Example Question #41 : Europe
Which of these answers best describes a "Renaissance Man?"
An individual who dedicates his life to the pursuit of artistic perfection.
An individual who is accomplished in both the artistic and the scientific field.
An individual who studies classical texts and can speak multiple languages.
An individual who is willing to die for his country and places national pride above all else.
An individual who is loyal to both the Pope and the King.
An individual who is accomplished in both the artistic and the scientific field.
A "Renaissance Man" is an individual who is dedicated both to the sciences and to the arts. Indeed, to a Renaissance Man the distinction between science and art would be wholly unclear. They used science to understand how to produce better works of art. The classic example of a Renaissance Man is Leonardo da Vinci. He was a consumate artist, but also an inventor and a theorist.
Example Question #301 : Sat Subject Test In World History
The Spanish Empire ruled all of the following countries EXCEPT
Colombia.
The Philippines.
Mexico.
Brazil.
Argentina.
Brazil.
Beginning with Christopher Columbus' initial voyage in 1492, the Spanish began exploring, conquering, and colonizing the Americas. The Portuguese, having their own growing Empire across Asia and Africa, sought Papal advice on which king could rule which areas. The Treaty of Tordesillas drew a line in the Eastern portion of South America, which gave everything west to Spain and east to Portugal. Thus, the only portion of South America settled by the Portuguese was Brazil.
Example Question #301 : Sat Subject Test In World History
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to fund the expedition of Christopher Columbus in the hopes of accomplishing which of the following?
Finding a quicker trade passage to the Far East
Establishing colonies in North America
Establishing colonies in South America
Establishing colonies in the Caribbean
Spreading Christianity to the New World
Finding a quicker trade passage to the Far East
Columbus' original mission was to find a passage across the Atlantic to establish trade routes with the Far East. When Columbus arrived in the Carribean, he thought he was in the East Indies (hence the use of the term "Indians" for the indiginous people of the Americas). Later Spanish missions would attempt to establish colonies and spread Christianity.
Example Question #2 : Spain And Portugal In Exploration
Columbus' expeditions to the New World were funded by __________.
João I
Queen Elizabeth I
Isabella and Ferdinand
Pope Innocent IV
Alexander I
Isabella and Ferdinand
Columbus' expeditions were funded by the Spanish king and queen, Ferdinand and Isabella.
Example Question #301 : Sat Subject Test In World History
Which of these types of ships gave Portugal an advantage in the early era of exploration?
Trieme
Galley
Ship of the Line
Frigate
Caravel
Caravel
Caravels were invented in Portugal in the fifteenth century. They were extremely maneuverable and allowed Portugal to explore the African coast and the Indian ocean at remarkable speeds.
Example Question #51 : Europe
Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro were both __________.
Spanish conquistadors
Spanish missionaries
Portuguese navigators
Portuguese colonizers
Spanish Kings
Spanish conquistadors
Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro were both Spanish Conquistadors who arrived in South America in the sixteenth century. Using similar tactics that relied on superior weaponry and manipulating old tribal rivalries, Cortes and Pizarro were able to tear down the two largest civilizations—the Aztecs (Cortes) and the Inca (Pizarro)—in what is now called Latin America.
Example Question #302 : Sat Subject Test In World History
Which of these empires is famous for bringing back so much gold and silver from the New World that it was actually detrimental to its economy?
English
French
Dutch
Spanish
Portuguese
Spanish
The early Spanish explorers and colonizers were insatiable in their quest for gold and silver. Driven by the promise of rich reward, they sacrificed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Native Americans and mined deep into the heart of the South American continent. In one way, they were succesful—the amount of gold and silver they flooded into the European market was unprecedented; however, in the long term, the result was almost as bad for Spain as it was for South America. The Spanish companies and individuals owed so much debt to British and Dutch investment banks and companies that the profit ended up in the hands of others and the price of gold and silver in Spain plummeted.