AP European History › The Modern State
One of the chief weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution that led to the rise of the National Socialist Party in the early 1930s was __________.
the small threshold for representation in the Reichstag by a political party
the system of checks and balances that did not allow any single figure to take power
the lack of powers given to the President and Chancellor against the Reichstag
the use of a parliamentary system rather than a presidential system
the electoral rules that made one party dominant over the entire Weimar Republic period
The Weimar Constitution of 1919 was intended to replace the German government as ruled by the Kaiser before the end of World War II, and as such featured universal suffrage, wide-ranging checks and balances, and a mix of parliamentary and presidential systems. The wide-ranging, democratic reforms in the Weimar Constitution created a flourishing republic in Germany in the 1920s and the early 1930s; however, the lack of thresholds for Parliamentary representation gave legitimacy to many different ideologies and political parties, while its checks and balances were placed so as to give individuals like the Chancellor and the President expansive powers. These parts of the Weimar Constitution enabled Adolph Hitler and the National Socialists to take power in Germany by 1933.
In 1991 these two Balkan countries declared independence from Yugoslavia which sparked a bloody and brutal civil war.
Croatia and Slovenia.
Bosnia and Kosovo.
Albania and Kosovo.
Croatia and Serbia.
Slovenia and Slovakia.
Yugoslavia was formed in the years between World War One and World War Two and functioned as a communist country outside of the Soviet Bloc for much of the rest of the twentieth century. However, following the demise of communism elsewhere in Europe the country began to break apart in the early 1990s. In 1991 Croatia and Slovenia were the first two countries to declare independence from Yugoslavia, sparking a brutal civil war that would rage in the Balkans for much of the next decade.
Russia under Vladimir Putin might best be described as __________.
An oligarchy in which a few wealthy businessmen control the political direction of the country
A theocracy in which Russian Orthodoxy is the only accepted religion
An autocracy in which democracy and human rights are completely subjugated to the whim of the ruler
A democracy in which detente with the United States and political participation are encouraged
A constitutional monarchy in which Putin must adhere to a few restrictions, but is otherwise free to do as he wants
Russia under Vladimir Putin has developed into an oligarchy in which a few extremely wealthy businessmen grow richer and richer and have almost complete control over the political direction of the country. Putin came into power promising political reform and peace with the West, but has consistently demonstrated an objection to liberty and a desire to impose Russian hegemony over Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Which of these countries is not a member of the European Union?
Turkey.
The United Kingdom.
Germany.
Hungary.
Romania.
All of these countries are members of the European Union except Turkey. Turkey has been making overtures to the European Union for several years in the hopes of gaining admittance, but as of 2015 remains excluded from the European Union and the Common Market.
Initially, how were the monarchies of England and Scotland united?
The English monarch died without having produced an heir, and the closest relative was the King of Scotland.
Malcolm III of Scotland took control of England when London fell to the Scots in 1637.
Pope Alexander III negotiated the merger between the English Parliament and the Scottish nobles.
King Henry VIII of England married Queen Mary of Scotland and together they held a joint monarchy over the newly combined kingdom.
Edward I conquered the rebellion led by William Wallace and assumed the Scottish throne.
Queen Elizabeth I of England died in 1603 without any children to succeed her. The issue of succession was one that worried many during Elizabeth’s lifetime, with some assuming that James VI of Scotland, the son of Elizabeth’s cousin, would become king. A lot of people also feared the possibility of war breaking out over the selection of the next monarch, which was extremely likely. Fortunately, many advisers and others within government had anticipated that possibility and contacted James to convey that he should come to England at once upon Elizabeth’s death. When Elizabeth died, James rode quickly to London where he was proclaimed king and became King James I of England, thus uniting the two monarchies. The countries would continue to be separate states until full unification in 1707, but that was only possible through the ascension of James.
The primary obstacle to a lasting peace in the Balkans is __________.
longstanding ethnic hatred
religious disagreement
the legacy of militarism left behind by the Ottoman Empire
the failure of the European nations to integrate the Balkans smoothly into the European Union
the economic stagnation that began with the Oil Embargo of 1973
The Balkans was ruled by the Austrians and then the Ottomans for hundreds of years before the twentieth century. The constant forced migration of people from one area of the Balkans to another and back again, has created a situation in which numerous ethnic groups live amongst one another, each one thinking they have the sole right to claim the territory as their own. The Croats, the Slovenes, the Serbs, the Albanians, and other groups each feel that they have a claim to a territory larger than that which they currently possess. They also feel that the reason they do not have this territory is that it was taken from them by one of the other ethnic groups. As a result, there is longstanding ethnic hatred in some places almost thousands of years old.
Which statesman worked to create a unified Germany and was eventually the country’s first chancellor?
Otto von Bismarck
Adolf Hitler
Wilhelm II
Heinrich Himmler
Frederick William I
Otto von Bismarck is credited with unifying the various Germanic states into one nation. He was appointed Minister of Prussia by Wilhelm I of Prussia in 1862, and he used that position to wield a great deal of power. One of his most famous tactics was engaging in wars with Austria, France, and Denmark in order to unify the various Germanic states behind a single cause and also to gain some territory. In 1871, von Bismarck's work culminated in the formation of the German Empire with Wilhelm the first as the Emperor and himself as chancellor. He held this post until 1890, when Wilhelm II became displeased with him. He initiated many reforms meant to create a strong unified state and is revered by German nationalists.
Economic recession in Europe in the 1970s was primarily caused by __________.
The Oil Embargo of 1973
The Suez Canal Crisis
The Vietnam War
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Declining prices of basic crops caused by the integration of several third world countries into the global economy
In the 1970s, the various Western European countries relied on oil imports from the Middle East for the vast majority of their oil. When the Arab-Israeli War broke out in 1973, many Arab nations began to stop selling oil to European nations who supported Israel, leading to the Oil Embargo of 1973. This greatly damaged the economies of most Western European nations and plunged the continent into a recession.
The Soviet invasion of which country in the 1980s contributed to the decline of the Soviet Union?
Afghanistan
Ukraine
Finland
Mongolia
Iran
The Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s contributed directly to the decline of the Soviet Union. The invasion dragged on for much of the decade and may be likened to the American experience of the Vietnam War. The Soviets' failure to win the war cost them dearly in resources and public opinion. The Soviets finally withdrew from the conflict in 1989; the U.S.S.R. would fracture just a few months later.
Which of these countries experienced a bloodless revolution in transitioning from communism to capitalism in 1989?
All of the other answer choices are correct.
Czechoslovakia
Hungary
Poland
East Germany
All of these countries experienced a relatively peaceful transition from communism to capitalism in 1989 and the early 1990s. The only major country where the transition of power was not peaceful was Romania, where brutal fighting marked the fall of communism.