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Quizzes > History > Wars & Historic Events

Test Your Knowledge of Enlightened Absolutism and the American Revolution

Ready to Ace the Enlightened Absolutism Quiz? Dive into American Revolution trivia now!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for quiz features enlightened monarch busts and American Revolution symbols on sky blue background

Have you ever wondered what is an enlightened monarch and how these visionary rulers shaped modern Europe? Our free scored quiz invites history buffs and students alike to test your knowledge on enlightened monarchs, explore the nuances of enlightened monarch definition, and see if you can keep pace in a rigorous European history quiz. Dive into our free enlightened absolutism quiz by exploring enlightenment absolutism principles, then gear up for an American Revolution quiz that challenges your grasp of revolutionary ideas. Friendly and engaging, this challenge sharpens critical thinking and celebrates the Age of Enlightenment. Ready to prove your expertise? Take the quiz now and watch your score rise!

What term describes rulers who embraced Enlightenment ideas to strengthen their states?
Enlightened despots
Capitalists
Totalitarians
Feudal lords
Enlightened despots, also known as enlightened monarchs, applied Enlightenment ideas such as rationality, reform, and patronage of the arts to modernize their states. They often centralized authority while enacting reforms in education, law, and administration. This term distinguishes them from other autocratic or traditional rulers. source
Which of the following was NOT an Enlightened monarch?
Frederick II of Prussia
Catherine II of Russia
Louis XIV of France
Joseph II of Austria
Louis XIV reigned from 1643 to 1715, before the height of the Enlightenment, and his style of rule emphasized divine right and absolutism rather than Enlightenment reforms. Frederick II, Catherine II, and Joseph II are classic examples of enlightened monarchs who adopted Enlightenment principles. source
Enlightened monarchs typically supported which of these?
Censorship of all literature
Religious tolerance
Absolute divine rule
Expansion of serfdom
One hallmark of enlightened monarchs was promoting religious tolerance, allowing minority faiths to worship more freely as a demonstration of rational governance and societal improvement. They often blurred the lines between church and state to reduce sectarian conflict. This contrasted with earlier absolute rulers who enforced a single state religion. source
Which Enlightened ruler implemented the Edict of Toleration in 1781?
Joseph II
Peter the Great
Charles III of Spain
Gustav III of Sweden
In 1781, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II issued the Patent of Toleration, which extended religious freedoms to Protestants and Orthodox Christians within his domains. This reform aimed to modernize his empire by reducing religious barriers to civic participation. It exemplifies enlightened absolutist policies. source
What was a common goal of Enlightened monarchs?
Centralizing power
Promoting scientific inquiry
Weakening the bureaucracy
Increasing feudal privileges
Enlightened monarchs often promoted scientific inquiry and founded academies to advance knowledge, believing that reason and science could strengthen the state. They sponsored research in agriculture, industry, and the natural sciences. This patronage distinguished them from previous rulers who paid little attention to empirical study. source
The American Revolution was largely influenced by which intellectual movement?
Romanticism
Enlightenment
Renaissance
Industrialization
Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Montesquieu, and Voltaire inspired American revolutionaries with ideas about natural rights, government by consent, and separation of powers. These concepts were reflected in key documents like the Declaration of Independence. source
John Locke’s concept of natural rights includes life, liberty, and ___.
Property
Monarchy
Serfdom
Ancestry
John Locke argued that individuals inherently possess the natural rights to life, liberty, and property, and that governments exist to protect these rights. His philosophy deeply influenced Enlightenment thought and later the American Founders. source
Which colony declared independence from Britain in 1776?
Virginia
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
On July 4, 1776, the Thirteen American Colonies—among them Virginia—formally declared independence from British rule in the Declaration of Independence. This marked the beginning of the United States as a sovereign nation. source
Which reform did Catherine the Great attempt but ultimately fail to implement?
Abolition of serfdom
Creation of estates-based parliament
Religious toleration for Jews
Founding of new schools
Although Catherine the Great corresponded with Enlightenment thinkers and proposed legal reforms, she never abolished serfdom because she relied on noble support. Her policy ended up entrenching serfdom further after the Pugachev Rebellion. source
Frederick the Great of Prussia modernized the army and also encouraged what?
Censorship
Religious tolerance
Complete democracy
Rejection of mercantilism
Frederick II promoted religious tolerance in Prussia, allowing Protestants, Catholics, and Jews to practice their faiths with fewer restrictions. He saw such policies as essential for a stable and prosperous state. source
What was the main purpose of the Edict of Toleration (1781) by Joseph II?
Abolish serfdom
Offer civil rights to Protestants and Orthodox Christians
Restrict universities
Ban Freemasonry
Joseph II’s Patent of Toleration granted civil and religious freedoms to non-Catholic Christians in the Habsburg lands, aiming to integrate them into public life. This reform reflected Enlightenment attitudes toward religious pluralism. source
In the context of Enlightened absolutism, what does the term “rationality” refer to?
Rule by reason and evidence
Rule by divine right
Rule by tradition
Rule by military might
Enlightened absolutists claimed to govern based on reason, scientific principles, and empirical evidence rather than tradition or religious doctrine. This rational approach underpinned legal, educational, and administrative reforms. source
Which American Founding Father corresponded with Voltaire?
Thomas Jefferson
John Adams
Benjamin Franklin
Alexander Hamilton
Benjamin Franklin met Voltaire in Paris and exchanged letters discussing philosophy, science, and politics. Their correspondence highlights the transatlantic reach of Enlightenment ideas. source
The concept of separation of powers was advocated by which Enlightenment thinker?
Voltaire
Montesquieu
Rousseau
Diderot
In The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu argued that political liberty depends on separating legislative, executive, and judicial powers. This idea greatly influenced constitutional designs in Europe and America. source
How did Enlightened monarchs view the nobility?
As partners in reform
As irrelevant
As primary sovereign
As peasant supporters
Enlightened rulers often enlisted the nobility to administer reforms, believing their support necessary for effective governance. They balanced noble privileges with state interests, sometimes curbing abuses but retaining aristocratic cooperation. source
Which act by the British government was considered unjust by American colonists and influenced the Revolution?
Stamp Act of 1765
Emancipation Proclamation
Edict of Nantes
Peace of Paris
The Stamp Act imposed direct taxes on printed materials in the colonies without their consent, fueling the cry of “no taxation without representation” and galvanizing colonial opposition. It was a key precursor to the American Revolution. source
Which policy did Joseph II implement to reduce the influence of the Catholic Church?
Nationalization of church lands
Abolition of marriage
Reinstatement of papal authority
Banning of monasteries
Joseph II seized large tracts of church property and redirected revenues to the state, reducing the church’s economic power. He also dissolved contemplative monasteries he deemed unproductive. These acts reflected his drive to modernize and secularize his empire. source
Catherine the Great’s “Nakaz” was a legal code inspired by which Enlightenment philosopher?
John Locke
Jeremy Bentham
Montesquieu
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Catherine’s Nakaz (Instruction) drew heavily on Montesquieu’s ideas, particularly his advocacy of law grounded in rationality and separation of powers. She distributed it widely among provincial officials for discussion, though few of its proposals were enacted. source
Which of the following Enlightened monarchs abolished judicial torture in 1750?
Frederick the Great
Catherine the Great
Maria Theresa
Charles III of Spain
Frederick II of Prussia outlawed judicial torture in 1750 as part of his legal reforms, believing it incompatible with rational and humane governance. This positioned Prussia as a model of enlightened legal policy. source
Which reform did Maria Theresa introduce to improve her empire’s bureaucracy?
Implementation of compulsory primary education
Abolition of the military
Nationalization of industry
Service tax based on property
In 1774, Maria Theresa issued a school ordinance mandating primary education for children in her domains. This move aimed to produce more capable civil servants and promote literacy. It marked one of the first state-run education systems in Europe. source
Which institution did Frederick the Great found to encourage arts and sciences?
Berlin Academy of Sciences
Royal Society
Sorbonne
Académie française
Frederick II established the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin in 1744 to promote research in natural sciences, philosophy, and the arts. He personally funded prizes and collections to attract scholars. source
Enlightenment ideas influenced which American document?
Declaration of Independence
Magna Carta
Ten Commandments
Communist Manifesto
The Declaration of Independence drew extensively on Enlightenment concepts of individual rights, government by consent, and the right to overthrow unjust rulers. Jefferson’s draft echoes Locke’s theories of natural rights. source
The American concept of checks and balances was influenced by which thinker?
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Montesquieu
John Locke
Voltaire
Montesquieu’s model of dividing government power among separate branches to prevent tyranny was central to the framers of the U.S. Constitution. His work The Spirit of the Laws was widely read in colonial America. source
Which Enlightened monarch was known for extensive correspondence with the philosopher Voltaire?
Catherine II of Russia
Frederick the Great
Joseph II of Austria
Maria Theresa
Frederick II maintained a lively epistolary friendship with Voltaire, exchanging hundreds of letters on politics, philosophy, and poetry. Their correspondence exemplifies the cross-cultural exchange of Enlightenment ideas. source
Why did Catherine the Great compromise on serfdom reforms while Joseph II attempted to abolish it?
Catherine depended on the nobility’s support to maintain power, while Joseph held more absolute control and faced less noble opposition
Catherine feared peasant revolts more than Joseph, who believed peasants were content
Catherine lacked the financial resources that Joseph possessed from British subsidies
Catherine believed in divine right more strongly, while Joseph rejected monarchy
Catherine the Great relied heavily on support from the Russian nobility to govern, so she refrained from abolishing serfdom despite Enlightenment influences. Joseph II, ruling a more centralized Habsburg state, had the authority and political will to emancipate serfs, though it provoked resistance. Their different political dependencies shaped their reform agendas. source
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Enlightened Monarchs -

    Define what is an enlightened monarch and identify their key characteristics within European history.

  2. Explain Enlightened Absolutism -

    Interpret the principles of enlightened absolutism and how they shaped governance in the 18th century.

  3. Analyze Monarchs' Reforms -

    Compare the reform policies of prominent enlightened rulers and assess their impact on society and culture.

  4. Differentiate Monarchical Systems -

    Contrast enlightened absolutism with traditional monarchy to highlight shifts in political thought.

  5. Apply Revolutionary Concepts -

    Recognize key ideas from our American Revolution quiz and relate them to the era of enlightened rule.

  6. Gauge Historical Knowledge -

    Test your grasp with a free scored European history quiz and pinpoint areas for further study.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Defining an Enlightened Monarch -

    "What is an enlightened monarch?" recalls a ruler who wields absolute power while embracing Enlightenment ideas like rational governance and individual rights (Oxford University Press). These monarchs balanced authority with reforms in education, law, and religion to strengthen society and the state.

  2. Core Principles of Enlightened Absolutism -

    Enlightened absolutism quiz topics often highlight reason, secular governance, and legal reform as hallmarks (Cambridge Histories). Think "ELITE" (Equality, Liberty, Innovation, Toleration, Education) to recall these reforms.

  3. Major Enlightened Monarchs -

    Key figures include Frederick the Great of Prussia, Catherine the Great of Russia, and Joseph II of Austria - each enacted codified legal codes, religious tolerance, and merit-based civil services (JSTOR articles).

  4. Impact on the American Revolution -

    Ideas from enlightened absolutism spread to the colonies via Locke's social contract and Montesquieu's separation of powers, fueling the American Revolution quiz's frequent questions. Use the "LOCKE's LOCK" mnemonic (Liberty, Order, Contract, Knowledge, Equality) to remember these influences.

  5. Effective Revision Strategies -

    When preparing for an enlightened monarch definition or Enlightened Absolutism quiz, actively compare monarchs' policies and revolutionary ideas. Create flashcards contrasting terms like "absolutism" vs. "republic," and practice sample American Revolution quiz questions to boost confidence.

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