Chapter 2 Grade 8 Social Studies

1. One of the main reasons the expansion of trade in the late Middle Ages had its greatest impact on northern Italy was because:

• a. other areas of Europe were more heavily affected by the Black Death

• b. the feudal system was weaker in Italy than in the rest of Europe

• c. agricultural production in Italy was greater than production in the rest of Europe

• d. the government of Italy was controlled by a single, absolute King

2. What Canadian city would be most similar to Venice in terms of its geographic situation? Use the following quotation as the basis for your thinking: "Venice became one of the greatest trading centres of the world during the Renaissance. Its moderate climate, and its location on the coast gave it access to all the important trade routes of the time."

• a. Edmonton

• b. Winnipeg

• c. Calgary

• d. Vancouver

3. An unintentional result of the Crusades to the Holy Land was the:

• a. conquest of large areas of Palestine

• b. decline in the variety of goods being traded in Europe

• c. exposure of Europeans to Muslim learning and culture

• d. increase in numbers of Muslim settlers in Europe

4. The information on the map of trading routes in Renaissance Europe would be most useful in supporting the statement that:

• a. most trade in Renaissance Europe was carried on sea routes

• b. western Europe was the centre of Renaissance trading routes

• c. Renaissance Europe traded mostly in exotic items from Asia

• d. Renaissance Europe developed a wide-ranging trade system

5. Three of the statements below provides one reason why Italy became the economic and cultural centre of Europe during the Renaissance. Which statement provides a geographic reason?

• a. Italian seaports were placed in an ideal spot for trade between northern Europe and the Mediterranean nations.

• b. Feudalism never became as strongly established in Italy as in the rest of Europe, allowing greater freedom for the towns.

• c. The large number of independent Italian city-states competed with each other for wealth and markets.

• d. Italian merchants and traders wanted to spend their wealth on luxurious foreign goods.

6. Increased wealth, a consequence of trading activities of the Italian city-states resulted in all of the following changes except:

• a. an increase in conflict and warfare among the city-states

• b. an increase in democratic freedoms in the city-states

• c. growing exposure to ideas and products from other lands

• d. growing demands for artistic works luxury items

7. A Canadian historian who wanted to support the position that many of our modern business and banking practices had their start in Renaissance Italy could best refer to the Renaissance use of:

• a. gold for direct payment of goods

• b. bills of exchange to increase the efficiency of money transfer

• c. force to control employment and guilds

• d. wealthy patrons to support artists and the arts

8. Which Elements of Italian society during the Renaissance were most similar to the societies of northern Europe during the same period?

• a. Elements 1 and 2

• b. Elements 1 and 3

• c. Elements 2 and 3

• d. Elements 2 and 4