During the 17th Century 
A. Several monarchies became absolute 
B. The English monarchy remained tranquil, not having to face any revolutionary movement 
C. The Russian monarchy collapsed utterly 
D. No constitutional monarch survived the crises of the century 
ANSWER: A
The traditional society of 17th century Europe 
A. Was overthrown in a revolution 
B. Was destroyed by the pressure put upon it by absolute monarchs 
C. Was based on a hierarchy of ranks and subranks that covered everyone from the highest to the lowest 
D. Believed that all men (but not all women) were created equal 
ANSWER: C
Seventeenth Century rural life was characterized by 
A. Low taxes paid to the government 
B. Poverty, disease, and famine 
C. Early marriages and numerous and healthy children 
D. none of the above 
ANSWER: B
Kings in the seventeenth century faced all of these problems except 
A. A great increase in the cost of war 
B. Resistance to royal authority by major aristocrats 
C. A violent popular movement for a republican form of government 
D. The desire by towns and by provincial officials to maintain their authority in local matters 
ANSWER: C
The roots of French royal absolutism were laid in the days of 
A. James I 
B. Suleiman the Magnificent 
C. Peter the Great 
D. Henry IV 
ANSWER: D
The Cardinal de Richelieu 
A. Became king of France, deposing Louis XIII 
B. Strengthened royal authority by curbing the powers of the nobility and the Huguenots [French Protestants] 
C. Used his influence with Louis XIII to have himself elected pope 
D. Won the gratitude of French peasants by his peaceful, low tax policies 
ANSWER: B
Cardinal Jules Mazarin 
A. Successfully reasserted royal authority that had been badly shaken by the mid-17th century rebellion known as the Fronde 
B. Was executed by orders of Louis XIV when the latter became old enough to rule by himself 
C. Virtually ruled France in the reign of Louis XIII 
D. By his religious intolerance, started the Thirty Years' War 
ANSWER: A
The great palace of Versailles 
A. Took 43 years to construct 
B. Was used as the seat of the French government by Louis XIV 
C. Set such pattern of royal splendor that other European monarchs soon copied it 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
It can be said of the reign of Louis XIV 
A. That it became the model of absolute monarchy, but was disfigured by high taxes and growing misery caused by expensive wars 
B. That it ended in a major revolution that made France a constitutional monarchy 
C. That it was an era of peace and low taxation 
D. That French culture nearly collapsed, due to the negligence of the virtually illiterate monarch 
ANSWER: A
Jean-Baptiste Colbert was known for 
A. Freeing French industry from minute government regulations 
B. Giving France a European reputation for the quality of its products 
C. Virtually bankrupting France by his increase of royal expenses 
D. Dominating the government by means of his high noble birth 
ANSWER: B
The "Age of Louis XIV" saw all of the following except 
A. A major flowering of French literature and theater 
B. A development in the visual arts, moving from Baroque to Classical style 
C. Attempts, though unsuccessful, to promote industry and increase exports through government subsidy and regulation 
D. An attempt to increase social equality by curbing the privileges of the nobility 
ANSWER: D
The wars of Louis XIV 
A. Were fought primarily against the Huguenots 
B. Led to the French conquest of Britain 
C. Were so expensive that they left France with a legacy of high taxes and increased poverty 
D. Were fought to secure the independence of the Dutch from Spain 
ANSWER: C
Eastern Europe differed sharply from Western Europe in the Seventeenth Century in many ways, including 
A. There were fewer nobles and greater social equality 
B. The towns were far wealthier 
C. Except for Russia, all the monarchies were absolute 
D. The peasants of Eastern Europe tended to be serfs rather than free 
ANSWER: D
In which of these Eastern European countries did royal or princely power decline rather than increase? 
A. Russia 
B. Poland 
C. Austria 
D. Brandenburg-Prussia 
ANSWER: B
Frederick William, the "Great Elector" of Brandenburg-Prussia, succeeded because 
A. He freed the serfs, thus undermining an overly powerful nobility 
B. He prevailed over the Estates, raised a strong army, and gave nobles greater control over the serfs 
C. He promoted town growth to serve as a balance against noble power 
D. None of the above 
ANSWER: B
The most important accomplishment of Austria in the 17th Century under Leopold I was 
A. The defeat of the Ottoman Turks and the conquest of Hungary 
B. The conquest of Poland 
C. The construction of the great palace of Versailles 
D. The imposition of Protestantism in his domains 
ANSWER: A
Before the reign of Peter the Great, Russia 
A. Had a very weak monarchy 
B. Abolished serfdom 
C. Established a tradition of strongly autocratic monarchy 
D. Conquered Poland 
ANSWER: C
Peter the Great made Russia a European power by his defeat of 
A. Sweden 
B. Austria 
C. Spain 
D. France 
ANSWER: A
In his policies, Peter the Great of Russia did all of the following except 
A. Introduce Western customs into Russia, bringing women out of seclusion 
B. Travel to Western Europe to learn about politics and technology 
C. Wage a series of wars that made Russia a European power 
D. Introduce constitutional monarchy into Russia 
ANSWER: D
The Mughal Empire 
A. Was located in India 
B. Had Moslem rulers 
C. Disintegrated after 1707 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
Seventeenth Century Poland 
A. Became a monarchy as absolute as that of Russia 
B. Had a flourishing commerce 
C. Was so dominated by its nobility that no strong centralized monarchy arose there 
D. Greatly expanded its territories at the expense of Russia and Austria 
ANSWER: C
The English Puritans 
A. Wanted to overthrow the Church of England 
B. Wished to purify not only the Church of England, but also daily life by outlawing theaters, cock-fighting, and other "frivolous" activities 
C. Reunited Protestant and Catholic churches 
D. Strongly advocated submission to the will of the monarch 
ANSWER: B
During the 17th century the English monarchy 
A. Imitated closely the absolute monarchy of France 
B. Imposed Catholicism on England 
C. Lost control of Scotland 
D. Saw its power weakened because of two revolutions 
ANSWER: D
During the reign of James I 
A. The monarch renounced the idea of Divine Right of kings 
B. The king successfully resolved the Puritan problem 
C. The colonies of Virginia and Plymouth were established 
D. None of the above 
ANSWER: C
Charles I of England did all of the following except 
A. Marry a Catholic princess, sister of the king of France 
B. Engage in expensive and fruitless wars 
C. Disband Parliaments when the members demanded concessions 
D. Persecute the Puritans 
ANSWER: B
The Civil War in England 
A. Resulted in the destruction of Parliament by Charles I 
B. Saw complete social equality established in England by the Levelers 
C. Saw no women serve as soldiers 
D. Resulted in a Parliamentary victory over Charles I, who was captured 
ANSWER: D
The Levelers in England during the English Civil War 
A. Managed to seize control of the Parliament 
B. Believed in the total equality of men and women 
C. Advocated that Parliament be elected by all male heads of households and that the members be paid 
D. Were not perceived as threats to the right of property ownership 
ANSWER: C
The trial of Charles I by the English Parliament was of grand significance because 
A. The heart of the matter was whether the king was subject to the laws of Parliament and had broken them, or whether a king who ruled by divine right could ever be charged by a subordinate body.
B. It raised the issue of freedom of the press when newspapers, which had started to spring up during the English Civil War, were not permitted to cover the trial 
C. The real issue was whether the Stuarts, as Scots, had the right to succeed to the English throne 
D. The Reformation itself was at stake--the maintenance of Protestantism or the restoration of Catholicism 
ANSWER: A
In English history, the Commonwealth refers to 
A. The period after the execution of Charles I, when Oliver Cromwell ruled 
B. The period when the monarchy was restored under Charles II 
C. The period of the Reformation 
D. The period of the Hundred Years' War 
ANSWER: A
Cromwell's political power in England was based on 
A. His control of the army, with the resulting military dictatorship 
B. His ability to play king and Parliament against each other 
C. His blatant, amoral, irreligious opportunism 
D. None of the above 
ANSWER: A
In his political treatise, The Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes argued 
A. That human beings once lived in a benevolent state of nature and that this state can be reconstituted 
B. That it is possible to reconcile the idea of sovereignty in which the people have the right to rule, with that of absolute monarchy 
C. That because of defects in human nature, only monarchy unrestricted by popular opinion could exist 
D. That the idea of popular sovereignty precludes hereditary absolute monarchy 
ANSWER: B
The English king restored in 1660 was 
A. Charles II 
B. James II 
C. William II 
D. George II 
ANSWER: A
Samuel Pepys 
A. Was a noted English political philosopher of the 17th century who wrote extensively on popular sovereignty 
B. Was a 17th century English Puritan who, after the collapse of the Commonwealth, wrote the Pilgrim's Progress 
C. Was a lesser government official in Restoration England who kept a diary that reveals much about the politics and the society of that time 
D. Was a close friend of Isaac Newton and himself prominent in the English scientific world 
ANSWER: C
Charles II of England 
A. Succeeded in destroying Parliament, making himself an absolute monarch 
B. Had some of the fiscal problems of his predecessor and was suspected of having Catholic sympathies 
C. Was overthrown and executed in a revolution that had eerie parallels to the revolution that destroyed his father 
D. none of the above 
ANSWER: B
The Glorious Revolution in England 
A. Led to William of Orange coming to the English throne 
B. Was caused in part by the Catholic policies of James II 
C. Led to the reduction of Ireland to a virtual colonial status 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
John Locke, in his Second Treatise of Government 
A. Agreed with Hobbes that people for their own security must turn over their sovereignty to the monarch 
B. Argued that the people had made a contract with the king and could depose the monarch if he broke the contract 
C. Argued that the Glorious Revolution was illegal and that James II was the rightful king of England 
D. Argued that landless men and women were included in the "people" who had sovereignty 
ANSWER: B
The Dutch Republic in the 17th Century was noted 
A. For its political instability 
B. For its fierce persecution of religious minorities 
C. For its prosperity and religious toleration 
D. For its strong support of Spanish policies 
ANSWER: C
The Dutch were able to maintain their tradition of local sovereignty when most successful states of the 17th century were developing strong central government because 
A. The nobility was extremely wealthy and proud, and did not want a king-or any central government-over them 
B. They were able to exclude religious dissenters from their small state so that there was no organized minority that had to be controlled by centralized force 
C. The great prosperity of the Dutch in the 17th century moderated any pressure to impose a strong authority from above 
D. Because the African slave trade was an important source for Dutch prosperity there was fear that a strong central government might abolish this lucrative business 
ANSWER: C
The society of Europe in the 17th century is properly described as hierarchical, with people ordered in ranks and sub-ranks.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
The major expenses for kings were on their vast palaces and increasingly elaborate court entertainments.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
The absolute monarchs of the 17th century achieved dictatorial control over their countries.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Richelieu appointed a reliable set of royal agents called the intendants..
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Cardinal Mazarin was dismissed from office in France because of his inability to suppress the revolt known as the Fronde.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Louis XIV used his grand palace at Versailles in part to attract important members of the nobility away from important local centers of power.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Louis XIV's wars left France with major problems of debt that were never resolved during the Old Regime.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Unlike Charles I of England, who was dethroned by his Estates [Parliament], Frederick William of Brandenburg-Prussia prevailed in his struggle with his Estates, gaining enhanced tax powers.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Leopold I of Austria's success was based on strong cooperation with the Hungarian nobility.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Peter the Great made Russia an important European power through his overwhelming defeat of the Ottoman Turks.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
The kings of Poland crushed the resistance of Polish nobles, townsmen, and peasants, making them the strongest rulers in Eastern Europe except for Russia.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
The English Puritans were noted for their strong insistence on strict moral practices while showing indifference to the doctrines and practices of the Anglican Church.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
James I not only believed in Divine Right of Kings, but, like a good professor, he published books on the subject.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Charles I lost the English Civil War because the Cavaliers failed to support him.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
At his trial Charles I acknowledged the jurisdiction of Parliament but denied the specific charges against him.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Oliver Cromwell, although he rose to power because the king and the Parliament could not cooperate, himself was unable to work effectively with Parliament.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
In the Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes tried to show how a very strong monarchy was compatible with the idea that sovereignty ultimately resided in the people.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Charles II of England, unlike his Catholic brother, undertook strongly Protestant religious policies in England.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
The Glorious Revolution in England changed the monarch, established constitutional monarchy with a Bill of Rights, and insured that the king or queen would be Protestant.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Unlike Hobbes, who believed that the people surrendered all their sovereignty to the monarch, John Locke believed that the people retained sovereignty and under some circumstances had the right to depose the monarch.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
The Dutch were so interested in commerce that they ignored the world of art.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
The Dutch showed unusual religious tolerance for the 17th century.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
