The Multiple-Choice Questions (^) ‹ 27
Read the passage (the visual stimulus), and scan the four possible answers. It is possible
that you recognize that the correct answer is B, because you know that the historical context with
which Galileo is associated is the rise of natural philosophy and the Scientific Revolution. But
suppose for a moment that you were taking the exam and drew a blank on Galileo. You
could still answer the question fairly quickly by asking yourself a series of chronological
and contextual questions about the possible answers. First, you notice that the passage is
dated 1615. Can you eliminate any of the answers based on that chronology? Yes, D can
be eliminated because you know the Industrial Revolution was a late eighteenth- and early
nineteenth-century phenomenon. C also is improbable because most of the Great Voyages
occurred earlier than 1615. Now examine the contexts of the remaining answers. Does the
passage seem to have anything to do with the context of sea voyages? No, so C can defi-
nitely be eliminated. Does the passage seem to have anything to do with the consolidation
of political power? No, so A can be eliminated. Finally, contextual reference to the conflict
between the authority of the church and concern for how the heavens move confirms that
the context for this passage is the rise of natural philosophy and the Scientific Revolution.
- Galileo’s philosophy has brought him into conflict with which of the following?
A. The King of France
B. The barons of industry
C. The Holy Roman Emperor
D. The authority of the Catholic Church in Rome
Here again, you may know that natural philosophers like Galileo came into conflict
with the Catholic Church in Rome. Conversely, the other choices can be eliminated
through a combination of chronological reasoning (industrialization, and therefore, the
creation of barons of industry, is a nineteenth-century phenomenon) and contextualization
(arguments about the movement of the heavens have no contextual relationship to political
rulers like the King of France or the Holy Roman Emperor).About Guessing
Should you guess? Total scores on the multiple-choice section are based solely on the
number of questions you answer correctly. Points are not deducted for incorrect answers,
and no points are awarded for unanswered questions. In other words, there is no guessing
penalty. If you are unsure of an answer, take a guess.Further Practice with Multiple-Choice Questions
In this book you’ll find test-like multiple-choice questions at the end of each content review
chapter in Step 4. Use these to practice your strategy for attacking the multiple-choice sec-
tion of the AP European History Exam. Use the explanations provided to help you under-
stand any questions you get wrong. It’s a good idea to read the explanations, not only for
the questions you missed, but also for any that you were unsure of or for which you didn’t
understand one of the answer choices. Additional practice for the multiple-choice questions
can be found in the Practice Tests in Step 5. To gain more practice and become more pro-
ficient, access the sample multiple-choice questions provided online at the College Board
website (www.collegeboard.org).TIP04_Bartolini_Ch04_023-28.indd 27 12/04/18 12:01 PM