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AP European History Practice Quiz: The Dutch Golden Age

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 7 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 7

According to the text, the Dutch Republic was established as a result of what event?

All Questions (7)

According to the text, the Dutch Republic was established as a result of what event?

A) A commercial agreement with England

B) A Protestant revolt against the Habsburg monarchy

C) The unification of urban and rural guilds

D) A peaceful secession from the Holy Roman Empire

Correct Answer: B

The provided content explicitly states that the Dutch Republic was 'established by a Protestant revolt against the Habsburg monarchy.'

What type of political system characterized the Dutch Republic?

A) An absolute monarchy

B) A direct democracy

C) An oligarchy

D) A theocracy

Correct Answer: C

The text describes the government of the Dutch Republic as having 'developed an oligarchy of urban gentry and rural landholders.'

The ruling class in the Dutch Republic was primarily composed of which two groups?

A) Military leaders and clergy

B) Habsburg loyalists and foreign merchants

C) Urban gentry and rural landholders

D) Protestant reformers and guild artisans

Correct Answer: C

The text specifies that the Dutch Republic's government was an 'oligarchy of urban gentry and rural landholders.'

What were the stated goals of the governing body in the Dutch Republic?

A) To centralize power and expand territory

B) To promote trade and protect traditional rights

C) To enforce religious uniformity and suppress heresy

D) To re-establish ties with the Habsburg monarchy

Correct Answer: B

The passage indicates that the oligarchy was established 'to promote trade and protect traditional rights.'

The political structure of the Dutch Republic suggests a government that prioritized:

A) The divine right of a single monarch.

B) The interests of a select, property-owning elite.

C) The will of the general populace through direct voting.

D) The authority of the Catholic Church.

Correct Answer: B

The description of an 'oligarchy of urban gentry and rural landholders' indicates that power was concentrated in the hands of a small, wealthy, property-owning group, which is the definition of a select elite.

The formation of the Dutch Republic, as described in the passage, represents a rejection of which political principle?

A) Mercantilist economic policy

B) Republicanism

C) Hereditary monarchical rule

D) Religious tolerance

Correct Answer: C

By establishing a republic through a 'revolt against the Habsburg monarchy,' the Dutch were explicitly rejecting the principle of being ruled by a hereditary monarch in favor of a different form of government.

Which of the following can be inferred about the values of the Dutch Republic's ruling class?

A) They favored radical social and economic change.

B) They were primarily focused on overseas military conquest.

C) They sought to balance commercial interests with established customs.

D) They aimed to create a strong, centralized military state.

Correct Answer: C

The dual goals to 'promote trade' (commercial interests) and 'protect traditional rights' (established customs) suggest a desire to balance economic growth with the preservation of existing social and political structures.