AP European History Practice Quiz: Darwinism, Social Darwinism
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
All Questions (7)
A) They were limited to the field of biology.
B) They primarily influenced religious and philosophical debates.
C) They impacted both scientific and social developments.
D) They were only used to justify political movements.
Correct Answer: C
The text explicitly states that Darwin’s theories influenced 'scientific and social developments from 1815 to 1914,' indicating a broad impact beyond just one field.
A) Darwin intentionally created Social Darwinism as a political extension of his biological theories.
B) Social Darwinism was a direct refutation of Darwin's scientific account of biological change.
C) Darwin's scientific theories were unintentionally used as a justification for the racialist ideas of Social Darwinism.
D) Social Darwinism was a scientific movement that helped prove Darwin's biological theories.
Correct Answer: C
The text uses the word 'inadvertently' to describe how Darwin's scientific account of biological change provided a justification for racialist theories, indicating the connection was an unintentional consequence, not a planned outcome.
A) Economic
B) Racialist
C) Geological
D) Theological
Correct Answer: B
The content directly states that Darwin's work provided 'a justification for racialist theories that became known as Social Darwinism.'
A) A philosophical and ethical framework for society.
B) A historical narrative of human civilization.
C) A scientific and material account of biological change.
D) A political manifesto for social reform.
Correct Answer: C
The text specifies that 'Charles Darwin provided a scientific and material account of biological change,' distinguishing his work as being rooted in science and observable evidence.
A) During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Darwin's scientific work on biology was reinterpreted to support pre-existing social and racial biases.
B) Darwin's primary goal was to create a social theory, with his biological research serving as secondary evidence.
C) Social Darwinism was a necessary scientific step that evolved directly from Darwin's original, unchanged theories.
D) The period from 1815 to 1914 saw a decline in scientific thought due to the controversy caused by Darwinism.
Correct Answer: A
This option correctly combines the key elements: Darwin's work was scientific ('biological change'), it was applied to society ('justification for racialist theories'), and this application was an interpretation ('inadvertently').
A) a logical and necessary conclusion of Darwin's work.
B) a development that Darwin actively campaigned for.
C) an unforeseen and unintended application of Darwin's ideas.
D) a complete fabrication with no connection to Darwin's science.
Correct Answer: C
The term 'inadvertently' means unintentionally or by accident. This suggests that the use of his scientific work to justify racial theories was not Darwin's purpose, but a consequence of how others interpreted and applied his work.
A) 1600-1750
B) 1750-1815
C) 1815-1914
D) 1914-2000
Correct Answer: C
The first sentence of the content explicitly states the time frame for the influence of Darwin's theories as 'from 1815 to 1914.'