SAT II World History : Historic Figures of the Enlightenment Era

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT II World History

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Example Questions

Example Question #141 : Europe

The geocentric model of the universe was initially disproved by __________.

Possible Answers:

Nicholas Copernicus

Francis Bacon

Jan Huss

Galileo

Isaac Newton

Correct answer:

Nicholas Copernicus

Explanation:

The geocentric model of the universe was originally developed by many ancient civilizations, and popularized by the Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle. It was widely accepted by scientific-minded individuals for over a thousand years. In the geocentric model, the Earth is at the center of the universe, and everything else orbits around it; however, in the sixteenth century, the Polish astronomer, Nicholas Copernicus, developed his theory that the sun was in fact the center of the universe. This event is called the Copernican Revolution, and his model was called the heliocentric model of the universe.

Example Question #151 : Europe

A Vindication on the Rights of Women, in which it is argued that women are not naturally inferior to men and should have equal rights in all areas of life, was written by which Enlightenment-Era philosopher?

Possible Answers:

Mary Wollstonecraft

John Locke

Emily Pankhurst

Simone de Beauvoir

Mary Shelley

Correct answer:

Mary Wollstonecraft

Explanation:

Mary Wollstonecraft wrote A Vindication on the Rights of Women, in 1792. In the text she argues that women are not naturally inferior or less intelligent than men, but merely appear so because they were no allowed an education and were forced to be subservient to men. She imagines a society founded on reason and equality, in which women are given every right and opportunity that men are given. 

Example Question #152 : Europe

This Enlightenment-Era philosopher wrote Candide and was primarily concerned with encouraging religious tolerance. 

Possible Answers:

Adam Smith

Thomas Hobbes

John Locke

Descartes

Voltaire

Correct answer:

Voltaire

Explanation:

Voltaire was an Enlightenment-Era philosopher who was most famous for his vehement attacks on the established religious orders—particularly the Catholic Church. He wrote passionately, advocating for freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. This naturally caused Voltaire to be condemned widely by the powers that be (although he was a good friend of Catherine the Great), and he had many causes to fear for his life, but he never stopped his polemical writings. His most famous work, Candide, is a scathing critique of the established order of the European world.

Example Question #153 : Europe

A Treatise of Human Nature and An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding are two of the most famous works of __________.

Possible Answers:

Voltaire

Immanuel Kant

Diderot

David Hume

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Correct answer:

David Hume

Explanation:

A Treatise of Human Nature and An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding are two of the most famous works of the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume. Whilst you might not have recognized the works as immediately belonging to Hume, their titles ought to have been a clue. Hume was primarily concerned with understanding the relationship between human nature and human understanding. He was a particularly prominent supporter of empiricism and moral relativism.

Example Question #154 : Europe

Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations argues passionately in favor of __________.

Possible Answers:

Christian theocratic absolutism 

free-market Capitalism

state-owned property 

Mercantilism 

Imperialism and nationalism 

Correct answer:

free-market Capitalism

Explanation:

Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations is the seminal economic text of the Enlightenment era. In it, Smith presents his arguments in favor of laissez-faire economics, or free-market Capitalism. The book was widely influential among the governments and thinkers of his era and continues to be influential to this day.

Example Question #155 : Europe

The Encyclopedie is the seminal work of __________.

Possible Answers:

David Hume

Diderot

Voltaire

Montesquieu

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Correct answer:

Diderot

Explanation:

The Encyclopedie is one of the most famous works of the Enlightenment period. It was written by Diderot, with the help of many other famous writers of his era. The aim of the Encyclopedie was to collate all the knowledge of the Enlightenment into one book that could be widely disseminated around Europe. It was read by the Enlightened despots Catherine the Great and Maria Theresa, among others. 

Example Question #156 : Europe

Which Enlightenment philosopher was known primarily for condemning the use of torture and the death penalty?

Possible Answers:

None of these

Voltaire

John Locke

Denis Diderot

Cesare Beccaria

Correct answer:

Cesare Beccaria

Explanation:

Cesare Beccaria was an Italian thinker of the Enlightenment who is best known for his treatise On Crimes and Punishments, in which he condemned torture and the death penalty. John Locke and Voltaire were philosophers whose works covered a greater variety of ideas, such as natural and civil rights, religion, and political philosophy. Denis Diderot was a French Enlightenment philosopher best known for leading the effort to compile the Encyclopedie, a massive general encyclopedia that was meant to incorporate all of the world's knowledge.

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