World History : Classical Greece

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for World History

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Classical Greece

Which of the following ancient Greek city-states was famous for inventing and practicing democracy?

Possible Answers:

Athens

Macedon

Corinth

Argos

Sparta

Correct answer:

Athens

Explanation:

Sparta was a prominent city-state in the classical period, however it was ruled by a king, so they did not practice democracy. Macedon was a more traditional kingdom in mainland Greece - not a city-state at all - so that would not be a good choice for this question. Corinth and Argos were city-states but they did not invent democracy, so they would not be the best answer here. Finally, Athens is famous for inventing and practicing democracy, so that would be the best choice here.

Example Question #2 : Classical Greece

Which of the following was the ancient Greek philosopher famous for creating the dialectic method?

Possible Answers:

Rene Descartes

Bertrand Russel

Plato

Aristotle

Socrates

Correct answer:

Socrates

Explanation:

Plato, while an ancient Greek philosopher of great renown, did not invent the dialectic method, so he would not be the best choice. Aristotle, too, was a prominent Greek philosopher but did not invent the method in question, so he also would not be the best choice. Rene Descartes was a French philosopher and lived many centuries after the time period on question, so he would not be a good answer. Bertrand Russel was a late 19th and early 20th century mathematician and philosopher and he did not invent the method in question, so he would not be the best choice. Finally Socrates, who famously invented the dialectic method, would be the best answer to this question.

Example Question #3 : Classical Greece

Which of the following attended Plato's Academy in Athens and went on to develop the idea of the syllogism?

Possible Answers:

Thomas Hobbes

Aristotle

John Locke

Marcus Aurelius

Epicurus

Correct answer:

Aristotle

Explanation:

Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher but he did not attend the Academy nor did he invent the syllogism, so he would not be the best choice. Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and Stoic and he did not do either of the acts in question, so he too would not be the best choice. John Locke was an English philosopher that lived many centuries after the Academy, so he would not be a good answer here. And Thomas Hobbes similarly lived many centuries after the Academy, and so he also is not a good choice. Lastly, Aristotle both attended the Academy and developed the syllogism, so he would be the best answer to the question.

Example Question #4 : Classical Greece

Which of the following is considered the father of modern history and wrote an account of the Peloponnesian War?

Possible Answers:

Herodotus

Epicurus

Aristotle

Plato

Homer

Correct answer:

Herodotus

Explanation:

Homer was the epic poet who wrote The Odyssey and The Iliad, but he was not known for his accounts of history, so he would not be the best choice. Plato and Aristotle were philosophers of great renown but neither were concerned with historical accounts, so neither of them would be good choices. Epicurus was concerned with philosophy and the problem of evil, so he too would not be a good choice. Lastly, Herodotus is famous for his account of the Peloponnesian War and he was named the father of history by Cicero, so he would be the best answer.

Example Question #5 : Classical Greece

Which of the following philosophers was primarily concerned with the problem of evil and living the good life?

Possible Answers:

Epicurus

Plato

Socrates

Aristotle

Archimedes

Correct answer:

Epicurus

Explanation:

Archimedes was a philosopher and mathematician; however, he is best known for discovering buoyancy, so he would not be the best choice. Plato and Aristotle were both ancient Greek philosophers, but they are best known for their work regarding the World of Forms and natural philosophy, respectively, so neither of them would be the best choice. Socrates pioneered the dialectic method and had some thoughts about living the good life, but he was not known for an interest in the problem of evil, so he would not be the best answer here. Lastly, Epicurus was concerned both with the good life and the problem of evil, so he would be the best choice here.

Example Question #4 : Classical Greece

Which of the following was the Greek mathematician famous for deriving the foundations of modern geometry?

Possible Answers:

Socrates 

Archimedes

Plato

Aristotle

Euclid

Correct answer:

Euclid

Explanation:

Archimedes was a mathematician and philosopher, however he was most famous for his discovery of buoyancy, so he would not be the best answer. Plato and Aristotle were philosophers but did not write extensively regarding mathematics, so they would not be good answers here. Socrates was also a philosopher and not a mathematician, so he would not be a good answer. Euclid wrote Elements -the premiere geometry textbook for millennia- and normal geometry is named after him, so he would be the best choice.

Example Question #7 : Classical Greece

Athenian culture most strongly valued _________. 

Possible Answers:

solitude 

duty

competition

comedy

wisdom

Correct answer:

competition

Explanation:

While Athenian culture exuded some of the other features, competition was a hallmark of Athens. This is evident from depictions of the Olympic games and many other frequent small sporting events found on Greek pottery and architecture. 

Example Question #8 : Classical Greece

To the Ancient Greeks, a polis was ________________.

Possible Answers:

an army

a village

a king

a city

Correct answer:

a city

Explanation:

The Ancient Greek word polis refers to the large city-states of Greece.

Example Question #7 : Classical Greece

To protect itself and Greece against external threats, Athens formed the ________________ in the late 5th century, BCE.

Possible Answers:

Aegean League

Persian Alliance

Delian League

League of Greece

Melian League

Correct answer:

Delian League

Explanation:

Athens formed the Delian League with surrounding Greek city-states in order to better coordinate defense against external forces (such as the Persians). The other answers are incorrect because they contain terms not relevant to this part of Ancient Greek history.

Example Question #8 : Classical Greece

The Peloponnesian Wars were mainly fought between ______________ and ________________.

Possible Answers:

Athens . . . Sparta

Athens . . . Persia

Ionia . . . Sparta

Sparta . . . Rome

Rome . . . Athens

Correct answer:

Athens . . . Sparta

Explanation:

The two "superpowers" of Greece, Athens and Sparta, warred against each other in the Peloponnesian Wars during the mid-fifth century BCE. The war resulted in a temporary supremacy of the Spartans in Greece. The other answers are incorrect because they refer to other nearby factions not involved in the conflict.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors