AP European History Flashcards: Causation in the Renaissance and Age of Discovery
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 11 cards to help you master important concepts.
What were the two main types of motives driving European exploration during the Age of Discovery?
European exploration was primarily driven by a combination of commercial motives, such as seeking new wealth, and religious motives.
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What were the two main types of motives driving European exploration during the Age of Discovery?
European exploration was primarily driven by a combination of commercial motives, such as seeking new wealth, and religious motives.
What was a primary intellectual cause of the Renaissance?
The rediscovery of ancient works from classical Greece and Rome was a primary cause, which in turn led to new forms of scholarship and visual arts.
What were the two major, interconnected historical movements that defined this era?
The two major movements were the Renaissance, which involved cultural and intellectual change, and the Age of Discovery, which involved European exploration.
What was the primary political outcome of the struggle for sovereignty among European states?
The struggle for sovereignty among competing powers resulted in the creation of new political institutions designed to centralize state power.
What is meant by the 'struggle for sovereignty' (KC-1.5)?
This refers to the competition between monarchs and other powers, such as the nobility and the church, to establish supreme and independent authority within their states.
A wealthy merchant commissions a grand family portrait to be displayed in his home. What Renaissance-era goal does this action represent?
This action represents the use of visual arts to promote personal goals, a key feature of the Renaissance where art was used to display status and power.
Did the rise of capitalism completely replace older societal structures during the Renaissance?
No, the new forces of commercial and agricultural capitalism coexisted with continuing medieval social and economic structures.
How were economic and social changes related during the Renaissance?
The rise of commercial and agricultural capitalism was a key economic driver that directly led to the formation of new social patterns and classes.
A pope commissions a series of frescoes in the Vatican. What goals, typical of the Renaissance, might this serve?
This commission serves to promote religious goals by glorifying the church and political goals by demonstrating the power and wealth of the papacy.
What is meant by 'new scholarship' in the context of the Renaissance?
Stemming from the rediscovery of ancient works, 'new scholarship' refers to the intellectual movement (humanism) that emphasized new methods of textual criticism and analysis.
What new economic system began to shape European society during this period?
Society began to be shaped by the rise of commercial and agricultural capitalism, which developed alongside continuing medieval structures.