Unit Checkpoint

1. Which of the following was a PRIMARY motivation for European exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries?

A) Spreading democracy
B) Finding new trade routes to Asia
C) Escaping religious persecution
D) Establishing universities

2. John Locke's concept of natural rights influenced which of the following documents?

A) The Magna Carta (1215)
B) The Declaration of Independence (1776)
C) The Code of Hammurabi
D) The Treaty of Westphalia (1648)

3. The Columbian Exchange refers to:

A) The transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas and Europe/Africa
B) A trade agreement between Spain and Portugal
C) Christopher Columbus's exchange of letters with the Spanish monarchs
D) Currency exchange rates in colonial America

4. Montesquieu's ideas about separation of powers directly influenced:

A) The structure of the U.S. Constitution
B) The divine right of kings
C) Mercantile economic policy
D) The feudal system

5. A historian studying the Enlightenment finds a pamphlet by Voltaire criticizing the French Catholic Church. To understand this source, the historian should FIRST consider:

A) How many copies were printed
B) The author's perspective and the context of church-state relations in France
C) Whether the pamphlet was written in French or Latin
D) The paper quality of the original document

6. A 1520 letter from Hernan Cortes to the Spanish king describing the Aztec empire is valuable as a primary source because:

A) Cortes was completely objective
B) It provides a firsthand European account of contact with the Aztecs
C) It accurately represents the Aztec perspective
D) Letters are always more reliable than other sources

7. What is a significant LIMITATION of using Cortes's letters as a source for understanding Aztec civilization?

A) The letters were written in Spanish
B) Cortes had political motivations and a European cultural bias
C) Letters are not considered historical documents
D) The letters are too old to be useful

8. A map showing trade routes during the Age of Exploration would most likely use which feature to show the direction of trade?

A) Contour lines
B) Arrows
C) Grid coordinates only
D) Elevation shading

9. A bar graph comparing population before and after the Black Death would help a historian understand:

A) The exact symptoms of the plague
B) The demographic impact of the pandemic
C) Medieval medical treatments
D) The geographic origin of the disease

10. When examining a map of colonial empires in 1700, different colors typically represent:

A) Elevation levels
B) Different colonial powers (Spain, Portugal, Britain, etc.)
C) Temperature zones
D) Population density

11. Which is the strongest thesis statement for an essay about the Enlightenment's influence?

A) "The Enlightenment was a period in history."
B) "Enlightenment ideas about natural rights and limited government provided the intellectual foundation for the American and French Revolutions."
C) "Many philosophers lived during the Enlightenment."
D) "The Enlightenment happened in the 18th century in Europe."

12. An essay claims that the printing press transformed European society. Which evidence would BEST support this claim?

A) "Gutenberg invented the printing press around 1440."
B) "Within 50 years of the printing press's invention, thousands of new books circulated across Europe, spreading new ideas and increasing literacy rates."
C) "Books existed before the printing press."
D) "Printing presses used movable metal type."

13. A historian wants to understand how European exploration affected indigenous populations in the Americas. Which combination of sources would provide the most complete picture?

A) Only European explorer accounts
B) Only modern textbooks
C) A combination of European accounts, archaeological evidence, and indigenous oral histories recorded later
D) Only population statistics

14. To argue that Enlightenment ideas caused political change, a student would need to show:

A) That Enlightenment thinkers existed
B) That revolutionary leaders read, referenced, and implemented Enlightenment ideas
C) That the Enlightenment and revolutions happened in the same century
D) That all philosophers agreed with each other

15. A well-constructed historical argument should:

A) Present only evidence that supports the claim and ignore contradictions
B) Make broad generalizations without specific evidence
C) Present a clear claim supported by relevant evidence and reasoning, while acknowledging complexity
D) Avoid taking any position on the topic

16. When two primary sources give conflicting accounts of the same event, the best approach is to:

A) Choose the source you prefer
B) Analyze why the accounts differ by considering each source's perspective and seek additional evidence
C) Conclude that the event never happened
D) Ignore both sources