overview
Western Civilization II: The current exam from 1648 contains material that is typically taught in the second semester of a two-semester course in Western Civilization. Questions cover European history, including political, economic and cultural developments such as scientific thought, the Enlightenment, the French and Industrial Revolutions, and the First and Second World Wars, from the mid-17th century through the post-World War II period. Test takers may be asked to choose the correct definition of a historical word, to select a historical figure whose political views are described, to identify the correct relationship between two historical factors, or to identify the wrong pairing of a person with a historical event. Groups of questions may require candidates to interpret, evaluate, or relate the content of a passage, a map, a picture, or a cartoon to other information, or to analyze and use data in graphs or tables.
The exam has 120 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Some of these are pretest questions that will not be scored.
Knowledge and skills are required
The Western Civilization II exam questions require test takers to demonstrate one or more of the following skills:
- Understanding the important practical knowledge of the development of Western civilization
- Ability to identify cause and effect of major historical events
- Ability to analyze, interpret and evaluate text and graphic materials
- Ability to distinguish relevant from irrelevant
- Ability to reach conclusions based on data
The content of the Western Civilization II exam is drawn from the following topics. The percentages next to the main subjects indicate the approximate percentage of exam questions in those subjects
Absolutism and Constitutionalism, 1648-1715 (7%-9%)
- Dutch Republic
- The English Revolution
- France under Louis XIV
- Formation of Austria and Prussia
- “Westernization” of Russia
Competition for empire and economic expansion (4%-6%)
- World Economy in the 18th Century
- Europe after Utrecht, 1713-1740
- Population changes in the eighteenth century
Scientific View of the World (5%-7%)
- A key figure in the scientific revolution
- New knowledge about people and society
- Political theory
Enlightenment period (7%-9%)
- enlightened thinking
- Enlightened Dictatorship
- Partition of Poland
Revolution and Napoleonic Europe (10%-13%)
- Revolution in France
- Revolution and Europe
- French Empire
- Congress of Vienna
Industrial Revolution (7%-9%)
- Agricultural and Industrial Revolution
- cause of revolution
- Economic and social impact on the working and middle class
- British Reform Movement
Political and Cultural Developments, 1815-1848 (6%-8%)
- conservatism
- Liberalism
- nationalism
- Socialism
- Revolutions of 1830 and 1848
Politics and Diplomacy in the Age of Nationalism, 1850-1914 (8%-10%)
- Unification of Italy and Germany
- Austria-Hungary
- Russia
- France
- Socialism and trade unions
- European Diplomacy, 1871-1900
Economy, Culture and Imperialism, 1850-1914 (7%-9%)
- population
- The World Economy of the 19th Century
- Technological development
- Science, philosophy and art
- Imperialism in Africa and Asia
World War I and the Russian Revolution (10%-12%)
- Causes of World War I
- Economic and social impact of war
- peace settlement
- Revolution of 1917 and its effects
Europe at War (7%-9%)
- great depression
- International Politics, 1919-1939
- Stalin’s Five Year Plan and Plan
- Italy and Germany at war
- Interwar Cultural Development
World War II and Contemporary Europe (8%-10%)
- Causes and course of World War II
- Postwar Europe
- Science, philosophy, art and religion
- Social and political development
