AP European History Practice Quiz: Balance of Power
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 15 questions to check your progress.
Question 1 of 15
All Questions (15)
A) A decline in the importance of religious differences and a rise in the importance of the balance of power.
B) An increase in wars fought primarily over colonial territories in the Americas.
C) A shift from dynastic interests to purely economic motivations.
D) The replacement of professional armies with religiously motivated militias.
Correct Answer: A
The text explicitly states, 'Following the Peace of Westphalia, religion declined in importance as a cause for warfare; the concept of the balance of power played an important role in structuring diplomatic and military objectives.'
A) The military revolution
B) The decline of religious warfare
C) The establishment of a balance of power
D) The expansion of colonial empires
Correct Answer: C
The text states that Louis XIV's wars 'provoked a coalition of European powers opposing him.' This action of states uniting against a single, overly powerful state is a primary mechanism for maintaining a balance of power.
A) A decrease in the overall cost of warfare.
B) The decline of dynastic interests as a cause for war.
C) An advantage for states with sufficient resources to fund new military technologies and larger bureaucracies.
D) The end of colonial expansion as states focused on continental defense.
Correct Answer: C
The text states that new military techniques 'tipped the balance of power toward states able to marshal sufficient resources' and required 'heavier taxation and a larger bureaucracy.'
A) Religious schisms and papal authority.
B) Republican ideals and popular sovereignty.
C) Dynastic ambitions and colonial competition.
D) Peasant uprisings and social reforms.
Correct Answer: C
The text directly mentions that 'dynastic and state interests, along with Europe's expanding colonial empires, influenced diplomacy and frequently led to war.'
A) They made warfare less decisive, leading to prolonged stalemates.
B) They favored smaller, more agile states over larger, bureaucratic ones.
C) They leveled the playing field by making defense easier than offense.
D) They gave an advantage to states that could afford the associated costs, such as higher taxes and larger administrations.
Correct Answer: D
The text explains that new military technology required 'heavier taxation and a larger bureaucracy' and 'tipped the balance of power toward states able to marshal sufficient resources.' This directly links technological advancement to the ability of a state to fund it.
A) To spread a single, unified religious doctrine across the continent.
B) To establish and maintain a continental balance of power.
C) To dismantle colonial empires and promote free trade.
D) To create a unified European super-state.
Correct Answer: B
The first point states that European states 'attempted to establish and maintain a balance of power on the continent' during this period. The third point reinforces this by saying the concept 'played an important role in structuring diplomatic and military objectives.'
A) end of all major wars on the European continent for over a century.
B) beginning of the decline of religion as a primary cause for war.
C) establishment of Louis XIV as the undisputed ruler of Europe.
D) introduction of military technologies that made bureaucracy obsolete.
Correct Answer: B
The text explicitly states, 'Following the Peace of Westphalia, religion declined in importance as a cause for warfare.'
A) new military forms required larger bureaucracies and more effective taxation.
B) religious leaders became more involved in state administration to fund wars.
C) continuous warfare led to the breakdown of state authority.
D) military technology reduced the need for a central government.
Correct Answer: A
The text directly links 'new forms of warfare' with the need for 'heavier taxation and a larger bureaucracy,' which are key components of state building and development.
A) A war started by a coalition of Protestant states against a Catholic empire to enforce religious conformity.
B) A war initiated by a monarch to place a family member on the throne of a neighboring country.
C) A war fought by a peasant army to overthrow the existing aristocratic order.
D) A war to dismantle the balance of power system and create a pan-European alliance.
Correct Answer: B
The text identifies 'dynastic and state interests' as a frequent cause of war. A war over succession to a throne is a classic example of a dynastic interest. Option A is characteristic of the pre-1648 period.
A) ensure that France remained the dominant military force.
B) prevent any single state from achieving continental hegemony.
C) promote religious unity under a single monarch.
D) eliminate the need for large standing armies.
Correct Answer: B
The fact that a 'coalition of European powers' formed to oppose Louis XIV shows that other states acted together to prevent France from becoming too dominant. This is the core principle of maintaining a balance of power.
A) A reliance on foreign mercenaries, reducing the need for domestic taxation.
B) The ability to implement heavier taxation to fund military and bureaucratic growth.
C) A shift away from colonial empires to focus on domestic production.
D) The dismantling of state bureaucracy to reduce administrative costs.
Correct Answer: B
The text explicitly states that new forms of warfare required 'heavier taxation and a larger bureaucracy.'
A) The continuous wars of Louis XIV.
B) The development of new military techniques.
C) The shift from religious motivations to dynastic and state interests.
D) The establishment of larger bureaucracies.
Correct Answer: C
The text makes a clear distinction between the pre-1648 era, where religion was a major cause of war, and the post-1648 era, where it 'declined in importance' and was replaced by 'dynastic and state interests.' This is the most direct evidence of a change in the nature of conflict.
A) source of funding for religious wars.
B) factor that stabilized European diplomacy and prevented conflict.
C) cause of diplomatic tension and warfare between European states.
D) reason for the decline in military technology.
Correct Answer: C
The text states that 'Europe's expanding colonial empires, influenced diplomacy and frequently led to war.'
A) The military revolution made states more equal, reinforcing the balance of power by making conquest more difficult.
B) The high cost of new military technology forced states to abandon balance of power politics in favor of religious alliances.
C) The ability to fund the military revolution became a key factor in a state's ability to pursue its interests within the balance of power system.
D) The decline of religion as a cause for war led to a decrease in military spending and a reversal of the military revolution.
Correct Answer: C
The post-Westphalian era was dominated by balance of power objectives. The military revolution gave an advantage to states that could afford it. Therefore, a state's financial ability to participate in the military revolution directly impacted its standing and power within the diplomatic system.
A) states sought to achieve military and diplomatic parity with their immediate neighbors.
B) states formed alliances to prevent any single state from becoming overwhelmingly dominant.
C) colonial possessions were distributed equally among the major European powers.
D) religious differences were formally balanced within each state's government.
Correct Answer: B
The core idea is that states tried to 'establish and maintain a balance.' The key example is the coalition against Louis XIV, which was an alliance formed to counter a single dominant power. This best fits option B.