Q.1 Which Italian city is often considered the birthplace of the Renaissance?
Rome
Florence
Venice
Milan
Explanation - Florence was a cultural, artistic, and intellectual hub during the Renaissance, home to figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Correct answer is: Florence
Q.2 Who painted the 'Mona Lisa'?
Raphael
Michelangelo
Leonardo da Vinci
Donatello
Explanation - Leonardo da Vinci, a key Renaissance artist and polymath, painted the 'Mona Lisa', one of the most famous portraits in the world.
Correct answer is: Leonardo da Vinci
Q.3 The Reformation in Europe was primarily a movement against what?
Monarchy
Catholic Church practices
Renaissance art
Trade restrictions
Explanation - The Reformation challenged the authority and practices of the Catholic Church, emphasizing personal faith and the Bible.
Correct answer is: Catholic Church practices
Q.4 Who wrote the 95 Theses that criticized the Catholic Church?
John Calvin
Martin Luther
Henry VIII
Desiderius Erasmus
Explanation - Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg in 1517, sparking the Protestant Reformation.
Correct answer is: Martin Luther
Q.5 What invention helped spread Reformation ideas quickly?
Compass
Printing press
Gunpowder
Astrolabe
Explanation - The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg, allowed mass production of books, helping Reformation ideas spread rapidly across Europe.
Correct answer is: Printing press
Q.6 Which Renaissance figure sculpted 'David'?
Donatello
Leonardo da Vinci
Michelangelo
Raphael
Explanation - Michelangelo created the famous marble statue 'David', symbolizing human beauty and Renaissance ideals of proportion and realism.
Correct answer is: Michelangelo
Q.7 The term 'Renaissance' literally means:
Rebirth
Revolution
Rediscovery
Renewal
Explanation - The Renaissance, from the French word meaning 'rebirth', signifies the revival of interest in classical learning, art, and culture.
Correct answer is: Rebirth
Q.8 Which English king established the Church of England?
Henry VII
Henry VIII
Edward VI
James I
Explanation - Henry VIII created the Church of England after the Pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, breaking with the Catholic Church.
Correct answer is: Henry VIII
Q.9 Which Renaissance writer wrote 'The Prince', discussing political power?
Thomas More
Niccolò Machiavelli
Petrarch
Boccaccio
Explanation - 'The Prince' by Machiavelli provided practical advice for rulers on maintaining power, reflecting Renaissance humanist thought.
Correct answer is: Niccolò Machiavelli
Q.10 Who is known as the 'Father of Humanism'?
Francesco Petrarch
Leonardo da Vinci
Giotto
Erasmus
Explanation - Petrarch emphasized classical texts, individual achievement, and human-centered thinking, making him a key figure in Renaissance humanism.
Correct answer is: Francesco Petrarch
Q.11 Which city was the center of the Northern Renaissance?
Paris
Antwerp
London
Bruges
Explanation - Antwerp became a major center for trade, art, and printing in the Northern Renaissance, attracting scholars and artists.
Correct answer is: Antwerp
Q.12 Erasmus is best known for his work in:
Sculpture
Religious reform and humanism
Military strategy
Cartography
Explanation - Desiderius Erasmus was a scholar and humanist who promoted education, classical learning, and reform within the Catholic Church.
Correct answer is: Religious reform and humanism
Q.13 The Council of Trent was part of which movement?
Renaissance
Protestant Reformation
Counter-Reformation
Enlightenment
Explanation - The Council of Trent (1545–1563) was a Catholic response to the Protestant Reformation, reforming church practices and reaffirming doctrines.
Correct answer is: Counter-Reformation
Q.14 Who painted the 'School of Athens'?
Raphael
Michelangelo
Leonardo da Vinci
Titian
Explanation - Raphael painted 'The School of Athens', depicting classical philosophers and exemplifying Renaissance ideals of harmony, perspective, and human reason.
Correct answer is: Raphael
Q.15 Which technological advancement contributed most to Renaissance exploration?
Compass
Printing press
Gunpowder
Mechanical clock
Explanation - The magnetic compass allowed more accurate navigation, enabling explorers to travel farther, linking Renaissance ideas with global expansion.
Correct answer is: Compass
Q.16 Which Renaissance thinker emphasized observation and experience over religious dogma?
Copernicus
Galileo
Francis Bacon
Kepler
Explanation - Francis Bacon promoted empirical observation and the scientific method, laying groundwork for modern scientific inquiry.
Correct answer is: Francis Bacon
Q.17 Which event marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation?
Peace of Augsburg
Diet of Worms
Posting of the 95 Theses
Council of Trent
Explanation - Martin Luther's 1517 act of posting the 95 Theses in Wittenberg is widely considered the start of the Protestant Reformation.
Correct answer is: Posting of the 95 Theses
Q.18 Which Renaissance artist is famous for the Sistine Chapel ceiling?
Raphael
Michelangelo
Leonardo da Vinci
Donatello
Explanation - Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling, including scenes such as 'The Creation of Adam', reflecting Renaissance mastery of anatomy and perspective.
Correct answer is: Michelangelo
Q.19 The idea that humans have individual worth and potential is called:
Humanism
Feudalism
Scholasticism
Monasticism
Explanation - Renaissance humanism focused on the value, dignity, and potential of humans, emphasizing education and classical learning.
Correct answer is: Humanism
Q.20 Which English scholar wrote 'Utopia'?
Thomas More
Francis Bacon
John Milton
Geoffrey Chaucer
Explanation - Thomas More wrote 'Utopia' (1516), describing an ideal society and critiquing social and political issues of his time.
Correct answer is: Thomas More
Q.21 Which reformer established a theocratic government in Geneva?
Martin Luther
John Calvin
Huldrych Zwingli
Henry VIII
Explanation - John Calvin led religious reforms in Geneva, promoting predestination and strict moral discipline, influencing Protestant communities across Europe.
Correct answer is: John Calvin
Q.22 Which Renaissance invention helped map the world more accurately?
Astrolabe
Printing press
Gunpowder
Telescope
Explanation - The astrolabe allowed navigators to determine latitude, aiding global exploration during the Renaissance.
Correct answer is: Astrolabe
Q.23 Which movement sought to reform the Catholic Church from within?
Protestant Reformation
Counter-Reformation
Renaissance Humanism
Enlightenment
Explanation - The Counter-Reformation was the Catholic Church’s internal reform movement in response to the Protestant Reformation, addressing corruption and reaffirming doctrine.
Correct answer is: Counter-Reformation
Q.24 Which Renaissance artist is known for the bronze statue of 'David'?
Michelangelo
Donatello
Raphael
Leonardo da Vinci
Explanation - Donatello created the first freestanding bronze statue of 'David', reflecting Renaissance interest in naturalism and classical forms.
Correct answer is: Donatello
Q.25 Which religious document translated the Bible into German?
The 95 Theses
The Augsburg Confession
Luther’s Bible
The Edict of Worms
Explanation - Martin Luther translated the Bible into German, making it accessible to ordinary people and promoting literacy and personal interpretation.
Correct answer is: Luther’s Bible