During the renaissance, cities like florence, genoa, and venice were important mostly because they were
a) places where artists thrived.
b) centers of trade and commerce.
c) home to the best universities in europe.
d) under direct control of the king of italy.

which is the best description of how medieval monks contributed to western culture and civilization?
a) they organized and led bands of "crusaders" who defended europe from muslim attackers.
b) much of their artwork served as the inspiration for the "renaissance" that developed in italy.
c) they preserve the learning, writing, and culture of the early greeks, romans, and christians.
d) they re-wrote the bible and changed many of its original stories and messages so that european peasants could understand them.

“[t]he temples of the idols in that nation [england] ought not to be destroyed; but let the idols that are in them be destroyed; let holy water be made and sprinkled in the said temples, let altars be erected, and relics placed. for if those temples are well built, it is requisite that they be converted from the worship of devils to the service of the true god; that the nation, seeing that their temples are not destroyed, may remove error from their hearts, and knowing and adoring the true god, may the more familiarly resort to the places to which they have been accustomed.”
- “advice to the english church,“ pope gregory, 601
according to pope gregory
a) anything associated with english paganism must be eliminated.
b) the rebuilding of english temples will show the might of the christian church.
c) if certain pagan traditions are kept, christianity will be more easily accepted by the english.
d) english temples must remain completely unchanged because of fears of pagan resistance to christianity.

following the period of the crusades
a) christian invaders adopted muslim scientific learning and military techniques.
b) christian invaders destroyed most evidence of muslim intellectual achievements.
c) muslim defenders repeatedly lost major portions of their empire to the christians.
d) muslim defenders adopted christian military practices in order to defeat their foes.

realizing what a deadly disaster had come to them, the people quickly drove the italians from their city. but the disease remained, and soon death was everywhere. fathers abandoned their sick sons. lawyers refused to come and make out wills for the dying. friars and nuns were left to care for the sick, and monasteries and convents were soon deserted, as they were stricken, too. bodies were left in empty houses, and there was no one to give them a christian burial."
- unknown, c. 14th century
this eyewitness account describes the introduction of the black death to the port city of sicily. how did the silk road contribute to the spread of this disease in europe?
a) the silk road connected asia to italy directly through the eurasian steppe. due to this connection the disease spread.
b) italian merchants and asia suppliers had historically been in touch through traveling messengers and the disease spread through these messengers.
c) the silk road connected animals such as donkeys and horses who were carriers for the black death. due to travel along the silk road, these animals spread the disease.
d) italian merchants traded with asia at ports along the black sea. the plague was carried and spread by the fleas on rats that boarded the ships and were brought back to italy.