Liberal and National Revolutions Quiz - 1

How is sovereignty defined by the video overview?

• The Right to Rule

• The Power to Rule with Absolute Authority

• A Monarchy.

• The balance between aristocratic rule and monarchical rule.

Answer explanation

Sovereignty is a political concept that refers to dominant power or supreme authority. In a monarchy, supreme power resides in the "sovereign", or king. In modern democracies, sovereign power rests with the people and is exercised through representative bodies such as Congress or Parliament. So to put the term simply - it means "The Right Someone has to Rule".

As the Columbian Exchange was giving rise to modern commerce and globalization, merchants and adventurer who traveled the world exchanged ideas that found just the right conditions to ripen into political revolutions which gave rise to which of the following according to the overview video?

• the nation-state

• modern ideas about citizenship and rights,

• the division between religion and the state or what we call today - secularization.

• All of the choices were mentioned in the reading.

Answer explanation

The growth of trade in the 18th century circulated ideas around the world and led to the development of new ideas. These ideas found just the right conditions to ripen into political revolutions that gave birth to both the nation-state and modern ideas about citizenship and rights, as well as the division between religion and the state, which we call secularization. Of course, such changes had their limits, and in many cases, the new kinds of governments and new ideas about individual sovereignty did not extend to everyone. Nevertheless, they marked a giant transformation in the way the world worked.

What is the definition of a nation-state?

• A country where people share a political status and government

• A country where people share a common religion

• A country where people share a common language

• A country where people share a common culture

Answer explanation

As we look around the world, we see that almost everyone is a citizen of a nation-state. We are Australians, or Americans, or Russians, or Paraguayans, or Nigerians—both by law and in terms of the identities we claim. Many of the rights we have are civil rights: guaranteed mostly by our governments, whether through a constitution, or laws, or just practice. There are also some kinds of rights— what we call human rights—that we believe apply to everyone, no matter their government.

In the video the Colby and Kim mentioned that nation states often strive to protect their citizen's civil rights. What are civil rights?

• Rights guaranteed by law and their government.

• Rights guaranteed by God and religious institutions

• Rights guaranteed by teachers and educational institutions

• Rights guaranteed by entrepreneurs and trade organizations

Answer explanation

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you recognize the difference between "Civil" rights and "Human" rights. Civil rights are protected by a nation's laws and by their government. While Human Rights are a belief we all have that argues that ALL HUMAN'S have rights. These rights may be exactly the same - but civil rights are actually something your nation protects for you as a citizen, while Human Rights are more about what we aspire to as "Enlightened" human beings who actually believe in the Natural Law theories that were expressed at the start of the "Long Nineteenth Century".

In the video, Mr. Burnett and Ms. Lochner argue that there exists the concept of human rights that are provided just because we are human. These are different than Civil Rights because they are not protected by constitutions or by law but rather by general opinion between all nations. What are human rights?

• Rights believed to apply to everyone

• Rights guaranteed by trade organizations

• Rights guaranteed by religious institutions

• Rights guaranteed by governments

Answer explanation

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you recognize the difference between "Civil" rights and "Human" rights. Civil rights are protected by a nation's laws and by their government. While Human Rights are a belief we all have that purport that ALL HUMAN'S have rights. The wording of these rights may be exactly the same - but civil rights are actually protections that constitutions or laws provide for you as a citizen, while Human Rights are more aspirational but no less important as "Enlightened" concepts of Natural Law. The powers that protect Human Rights are based on the treaties and follow through on those treaties that ALL NATIONS sign onto. Civil Rights and Human Rights emerged as essential parts of fair and just societies at the start of the "Long Nineteenth Century".

What is the system of government in which all or many people participate in governing their state?

• Dictatorship

• Oligarchy

• Monarchy

• Democracy

What was the most important community in the lives of most people in 1750?

• Religion

• Education

• Government

• Trade

Answer explanation

Before the Enlightenment and the rise of western secularism every part of the world had a government that had strong ties with religious beliefs that helped the government rule fairly. When science began challenging religious belief, religious ways of thinking began to diminish - especially within government. It's important to note that much of the world is still VERY religious and those beliefs are just as important to societies that feel religion can play a part in helping people protect each other's rights. Check out the diagram to the left - it reminds us of the central teaching of all the world's religions. It is not that much different than the idea of civil and human rights, is it? This is not meant to "preach" a religious belief - but rather to share an important idea that often goes unspoken in history classes. How does this help us to complicate the western narrative and create a fuller story of human history in the modern world.

What did the merchants of Saint-Louis hope for during the French Revolution?

• To govern themselves through an elected mayor

• To overthrow the French king

• To overthrow the French company they competed with

• All of the above

When the merchants from St, Louis, Senegal decided to take part in the French Revolution, they wrote to the French revolutionaries, calling them brothers. Despite differences in skin color. Which of the following is a paraphrase of quote from the reading that captures this Senegalese enlightenment spirit? (a)  

• “We are all French, and patriotic ”
• "Even though we are African, we are free"
• "Give us more rights, we deserve it"

Answer explanation

It is important to know that the exact quote is this: “We are all French, and no people show more patriotism and courage than we do.” The other choices are based on the idea that Senegalese Merchants would have seen themselves first as members of Africa or as somehow lesser than the white people of France. Neither is historically true at all - these merchants would have seen themselves as members of a merchant class and interested in the idea that "all men are created equal" which was a famous saying of the Enlightenment.

When did the merchants of Saint-Louis finally get representation in the National Assembly?

• 1789

• 1916

• They never got representation

• 1959

Answer explanation

In 1916, the Senegalese were granted representation on the French General Assembly as a colony of France. Today it's interesting to note that Senegal is among the countries with a high women's political participation in Africa and the world. Senegal has 43.3 percent of women in Parliament, one of the highest representations in Africa, and comes third after Rwanda which has 62 percent and South Africa, with 46 percent women representation.

Presenting a report to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in February this year, Senegal Minister for Women, Family, Gender and Child Protection Ndeye Saly Diop Dieng said there is much progress regarding women appointed to higher political posts.