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HIST 209 Exam with complete
solutions latest version
Which of the following regions was best seen as a core power and center of the existing
interconnected world system before 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-China under
Ming Dynasty rule
Why was the Indian Subcontinent a very important region in the context of pre-1500
C.E. global trade and interaction? - CORRECT ANSWER-The region had a large
population, and its monsoon climate patterns made maritime travel easier than in other
world regions
Which statement does not characterizes the role played by the Islamic world in the
global world system before 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-It had conquered parts
of Western Europe and brought those regions under Muslim influence
What was the Needham Puzzle, and why is it important for analyzing China during the
early modern period of world history? - CORRECT ANSWER-It represented attempts by
various historians to explain why China failed to maintain its predominant core position
in the world system after 1500 C.E.
Which of the following statements does not characterize the situation in the Americas
before 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-The peoples of the Americas did not develop
complex civilizations, and remained in hunter-gatherer societies
Which of the following statements does not characterize the Silk Routes of Eurasia prior
to 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-The Silk Routes came under the control of China
after throwing off Mongol rule, and China extended its power to the frontiers of Europe
What was the primary dilemma facing Portuguese explorers and traders when they first
reached the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia? - CORRECT ANSWER-They wanted to
buy valuable goods like spices, but lacked tradable commodities that they could
exchange for them
Which of the following was not a key point of evidence that helps us to reconstruct the
Polynesian maritime expansions since ancient times? - CORRECT ANSWER-Written
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records of Polynesian clans making migrations preserved on bamboo and palm-leaf
books
What is the importance of the caravel ship that was developed by Portuguese sailors in
the fifteenth century? - CORRECT ANSWER-It could use its sails to engage in tacking,
which allowed it to go against the prevailing winds and currents if necessary
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas and why was it significant in the context of maritime
expansion in Western Europe? - CORRECT ANSWER-It was an agreement to divide
the globe by a line through the Atlantic, with Spain getting the routes west and Portugal
the routes east
Which statement best explains why some historians use the term
"emporialism" to describe the Portuguese maritime expansion after 1500 C.E.? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Portuguese naval forces took over key ports throughout the
Indian Ocean region and extracted revenue from trade networks
Which statement best describes the primary historical significance of the Portuguese
maritime expansion in world history? - CORRECT ANSWER-Portuguese exploration
demonstrated an ability to cut out the traditional middlemen of trade across the Eurasian
landmass
Which of the following factors did not contribute to the early dominance of the
Portuguese in maritime expansion out of Western Europe? - CORRECT ANSWER-A
need to develop new access points to the Silk Routes to gain greater access to trans-
Eurasian trade
Why did the Portuguese maritime experiment eventually fail to raise Portugal to the
status of a global power in Western Europe in the longer term? - CORRECT ANSWER--
The long supply lines between the court at Lisbon and the far-flung ports of Asia were
difficult to maintain
- Portuguese mariners often directed wealth from their trade to other parts of Europe to
avoid high taxes in Portugal itself
- Counter-responses by other imperial powers with interests in these trade routes and
ports eventually limited Portugal's power
- Portuguese explorers and governors began to intermix with local populations abroad,
creating tensions with the Catholic Church
Why did the Ming Dynasty rulers of the fifteenth century eventually reject
Zheng He's project of maritime exploration outside of China? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Zheng He's fleet was too expensive to equip, staff and maintain, which led later Chinese
rulers to direct resources elsewhere
Which of the following was a major problem for the Portuguese attempt to expand
further into sub-Saharan Africa via maritime routes? - CORRECT ANSWER--
Portuguese attempts to expand into North African Muslim kingdoms to access trans-
Saharan trade routes were unsuccessful
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- European travelers did not have immunity to sub-Saharan African diseases and could
not establish permanent settlements there
- The patterns of winds and currents along the West African coast made it difficult for
Portuguese missions to return home
- The Portuguese required African partners for trade and support, and they did not
always find cooperative groups
Which development made Martin Luther's ideas more widespread and better known in
Western Europe than previous religious debates during the medieval period? -
CORRECT ANSWER-The printing press, which could spread both text and illustrations
of the issues more cheaply than in earlier times
Which statement best describes the relationship between the spread of Renaissance
ideas across Western Europe, and the Catholic Church? - CORRECT ANSWER-The
Catholic leadership often supported Renaissance art and ideas, seeking ways to
reconcile church teachings with classical thought
Which statement best summarizes the nature of the Renaissance ideas that emerged in
the Italian city-states after the Black Death? - CORRECT ANSWER-The revival of the
writings and thought of Roman and Greek Antiquity, by which intellectuals could debate
the contemporary present
What was the flashpoint issue that caused Martin Luther to launch a rebellion against
the Catholic Church in Europe? - CORRECT ANSWER-He rejected the practice of
indulgences, by which people could seek remission of their sins by making financial
donations
Why did the Reformation movement launched by Martin Luther so quickly fragment
across Western Europe into conflicting groups that clashed over doctrine? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Luther advocated the translation of the Bible into local languages, so
everyone could interpret sacred texts for themselves
What was the major social impact of the Black Death pandemic across
Western Europe in the century that followed its arrival? - CORRECT ANSWER-- It
created a situation of wage inflation and rural instability, as survivors demanded better
compensation for their labor on estates
- It led to shifts in military organization, as cheaper infantry troops in larger numbers
came to replace the mounted cavalry of nobility
- It led to growing skepticism about church leadership, as large numbers of clergy died,
and divisions over papal leadership grew
- Some groups turned to radical movements of repentance or hedonism that led them to
abandon traditional responsibilities
What was the primary impact of the Reformation launched by Martin Luther after he
broke with the Catholic Church in Western Europe, and rejected its authority? -
CORRECT ANSWER-- A multiplicity of different groups emerged that took different
positions on religious doctrine, not all of whom followed Luther's leadership
BRAINSCAPE1
HIST 209 Exam with complete
solutions latest version
Which of the following regions was best seen as a core power and center of the existing
interconnected world system before 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-China under
Ming Dynasty rule
Why was the Indian Subcontinent a very important region in the context of pre-1500
C.E. global trade and interaction? - CORRECT ANSWER-The region had a large
population, and its monsoon climate patterns made maritime travel easier than in other
world regions
Which statement does not characterizes the role played by the Islamic world in the
global world system before 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-It had conquered parts
of Western Europe and brought those regions under Muslim influence
What was the Needham Puzzle, and why is it important for analyzing China during the
early modern period of world history? - CORRECT ANSWER-It represented attempts by
various historians to explain why China failed to maintain its predominant core position
in the world system after 1500 C.E.
Which of the following statements does not characterize the situation in the Americas
before 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-The peoples of the Americas did not develop
complex civilizations, and remained in hunter-gatherer societies
Which of the following statements does not characterize the Silk Routes of Eurasia prior
to 1500 C.E.? - CORRECT ANSWER-The Silk Routes came under the control of China
after throwing off Mongol rule, and China extended its power to the frontiers of Europe
What was the primary dilemma facing Portuguese explorers and traders when they first
reached the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia? - CORRECT ANSWER-They wanted to
buy valuable goods like spices, but lacked tradable commodities that they could
exchange for them
Which of the following was not a key point of evidence that helps us to reconstruct the
Polynesian maritime expansions since ancient times? - CORRECT ANSWER-Written
BRAINSCAPE1
, BRAINSCAPE1
records of Polynesian clans making migrations preserved on bamboo and palm-leaf
books
What is the importance of the caravel ship that was developed by Portuguese sailors in
the fifteenth century? - CORRECT ANSWER-It could use its sails to engage in tacking,
which allowed it to go against the prevailing winds and currents if necessary
What was the Treaty of Tordesillas and why was it significant in the context of maritime
expansion in Western Europe? - CORRECT ANSWER-It was an agreement to divide
the globe by a line through the Atlantic, with Spain getting the routes west and Portugal
the routes east
Which statement best explains why some historians use the term
"emporialism" to describe the Portuguese maritime expansion after 1500 C.E.? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Portuguese naval forces took over key ports throughout the
Indian Ocean region and extracted revenue from trade networks
Which statement best describes the primary historical significance of the Portuguese
maritime expansion in world history? - CORRECT ANSWER-Portuguese exploration
demonstrated an ability to cut out the traditional middlemen of trade across the Eurasian
landmass
Which of the following factors did not contribute to the early dominance of the
Portuguese in maritime expansion out of Western Europe? - CORRECT ANSWER-A
need to develop new access points to the Silk Routes to gain greater access to trans-
Eurasian trade
Why did the Portuguese maritime experiment eventually fail to raise Portugal to the
status of a global power in Western Europe in the longer term? - CORRECT ANSWER--
The long supply lines between the court at Lisbon and the far-flung ports of Asia were
difficult to maintain
- Portuguese mariners often directed wealth from their trade to other parts of Europe to
avoid high taxes in Portugal itself
- Counter-responses by other imperial powers with interests in these trade routes and
ports eventually limited Portugal's power
- Portuguese explorers and governors began to intermix with local populations abroad,
creating tensions with the Catholic Church
Why did the Ming Dynasty rulers of the fifteenth century eventually reject
Zheng He's project of maritime exploration outside of China? - CORRECT ANSWER-
Zheng He's fleet was too expensive to equip, staff and maintain, which led later Chinese
rulers to direct resources elsewhere
Which of the following was a major problem for the Portuguese attempt to expand
further into sub-Saharan Africa via maritime routes? - CORRECT ANSWER--
Portuguese attempts to expand into North African Muslim kingdoms to access trans-
Saharan trade routes were unsuccessful
BRAINSCAPE1
, BRAINSCAPE1
- European travelers did not have immunity to sub-Saharan African diseases and could
not establish permanent settlements there
- The patterns of winds and currents along the West African coast made it difficult for
Portuguese missions to return home
- The Portuguese required African partners for trade and support, and they did not
always find cooperative groups
Which development made Martin Luther's ideas more widespread and better known in
Western Europe than previous religious debates during the medieval period? -
CORRECT ANSWER-The printing press, which could spread both text and illustrations
of the issues more cheaply than in earlier times
Which statement best describes the relationship between the spread of Renaissance
ideas across Western Europe, and the Catholic Church? - CORRECT ANSWER-The
Catholic leadership often supported Renaissance art and ideas, seeking ways to
reconcile church teachings with classical thought
Which statement best summarizes the nature of the Renaissance ideas that emerged in
the Italian city-states after the Black Death? - CORRECT ANSWER-The revival of the
writings and thought of Roman and Greek Antiquity, by which intellectuals could debate
the contemporary present
What was the flashpoint issue that caused Martin Luther to launch a rebellion against
the Catholic Church in Europe? - CORRECT ANSWER-He rejected the practice of
indulgences, by which people could seek remission of their sins by making financial
donations
Why did the Reformation movement launched by Martin Luther so quickly fragment
across Western Europe into conflicting groups that clashed over doctrine? - CORRECT
ANSWER-Luther advocated the translation of the Bible into local languages, so
everyone could interpret sacred texts for themselves
What was the major social impact of the Black Death pandemic across
Western Europe in the century that followed its arrival? - CORRECT ANSWER-- It
created a situation of wage inflation and rural instability, as survivors demanded better
compensation for their labor on estates
- It led to shifts in military organization, as cheaper infantry troops in larger numbers
came to replace the mounted cavalry of nobility
- It led to growing skepticism about church leadership, as large numbers of clergy died,
and divisions over papal leadership grew
- Some groups turned to radical movements of repentance or hedonism that led them to
abandon traditional responsibilities
What was the primary impact of the Reformation launched by Martin Luther after he
broke with the Catholic Church in Western Europe, and rejected its authority? -
CORRECT ANSWER-- A multiplicity of different groups emerged that took different
positions on religious doctrine, not all of whom followed Luther's leadership
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