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Test: SSAT Upper Level Reading
"The Holy Roman Empire" by Daniel Morrison (2014)
The Holy Roman Empire was somewhat unique among the various organized states of Middle and Early Modern Europe in that the Emperor was chosen by a group of electors. This is in stark contrast to the strict hereditary nature of English or French succession, where the position of monarch was handed down from the outgoing ruler to his closest legitimate heir, usually a son. In the Holy Roman Empire, the Emperor was chosen by seven electors, which in theory might seem to give the Empire a sort of early democratic flavor. However, in practice, only two or three families were ever able to draw on sufficient personal wealth to stand for election. Of these, the Luxembourgs and the Hapsburgs are most well known. The Hapsburgs were so successful that they were able to maintain their “elected” position for almost four centuries, and the Luxembourgs somehow still have a small country named after their family almost seven hundred years after their fall from dominance.
| 1. | What is the main idea of this passage? |
That the Holy Roman Empire was unusual in European history because it was not based on inheritance.
That the Hapsburg family is the most powerful in European history.
That the Luxembourg family is lucky to still have a country named after it.
That the Holy Roman Empire was neither, strictly speaking, Holy, Roman, nor an Empire.
That the English and French monarchies suffered from their direct form of inheritance.
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