European History Assignment 1

Modern Europe

Fall 2020

Quiz 1 -- Bourgeois Society

This assignment is due on Blackboard by Each question is worth 8 points

Question 1-9 are based on Klemens von Metternich's “Letter to Czar Alexander I” of 1820 posted on Blackboard

1. Metternich describes human nature as:

a) Determined by the specific culture and identity into which people are born

b) Determined by each individual's personal experiences

c) Fundamentally unchanging despite differences in culture, identify or individual

circumstances

2. The two forces that shape all human institutions according to Metternich are:

d) Morality and locality

e) Identify and family

f) Economic class and technology

3. Metternich claims that three forces have shaped modern history:

g) Printing, gunpowder and the discovery of the New World

h) Capitalism, modern science and the New World

i) Liberal ideas, religion and printing

4. Identify Metternich's claim about the effects of modern science and philosophy:

j) Conservative backlashes against rapid social changes

k) Presumptuousness among people who believe they no longer need be guided by the past

l) Optimism about how the human condition can be improved with new knowledge and insights

5. Which best expresses Metternich's attitude toward the individualism of modern people and society:

a) Individual judgment opens up new perspectives and positive innovations

b) Individual judgment tends to undermine established wisdom, values and truths

c) Individual judgment is generally compatible with established wisdom, values and truths

6. Which best describes Metternich's view of 18th century ideas (the ideas of the Enlightenment):

d) Excessive in their criticism despite some useful insights

e) Useful in so far as they encouraged scientific innovations but dangerous in their political views

f) Destructive of social, religious, and political truths and institutions

7. Metternich apparently sees the relation between 18th century ideas and the French Revolution as:

g) Negative causes producing negative effects

h) Little real relationship at all

i) Progressive ideas that took a wrong turn leading toward revolution

8. What social groups does Metternich identity as most responsible for the French Revolution?

j) Over-taxed and exploited poor people misled by ambitious aristocrats

k) Aristocrats eager to restore their ancient privileges over the peasants

h) The middle classes supported by ambitious elements of the aristocracy

9. Identify Metternich's advice for preventing a recurrence of revolution in Europe:

i) Firm state action against subversive groups and ideas

j) Constitutional government giving a voice to the common people

k) Playing off different discontented groups against each other to keep them divided and weak

Questions 10 and 11 are based on chapter 4 of Berenson's Europe in the Modern World

10. Identify the "Physiocrats" of 18th century France:

x) The most radical faction within the French Revolution of 1789

y) Supporters of King Louis XVI's authority against revolutionaries

z) Thinkers who favored de-regulation of agriculture

11. Identify which contributed to the French fiscal crisis of the 18th century:

p) The cost of expansion into German-speaking regions under Louis XVI in the 1770s

q) The cost of several wars against the British during the century

r) Inflation caused by an influx of gold from trade with India

12. What according to the author of the 1840 "The Defense of Laissez-faire" should be the goal of economic legislation and regulation? (the “Defense” is at this link: https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1840laissezfaire.asp )

a) Reducing income inequality and creating a fairer society

b) Providing better health and safety conditions in workplaces

c) Eliminating as many rules and restrictions on business as possible

13. Identify which of the solutions to the issue of child labor was advocated by the author of "The Defense of Laissez-faire" in 1840

a) Establishing a minimum wage for child labor

b) Shorting hours of work for minor in factories

c) Parents using their judgment to determine whether and how long their children should work