Correct answer: A — During the 18th century, new ideas about politics, philosophy and science were developed. This is often called ‘the Enlightenment’. Many of the great thinkers of the Enlightenment were Scottish. Adam Smith developed ideas about economics which are still referred to today. David Hume’s ideas about human nature continue to influence philosophers. Scientific discoveries, such as James Watt’s work on steam power, helped the progress of the Industrial Revolution.
Why this question matters
This question is drawn from the “A Long and Illustrious History” section of the official Home Office handbook. Topics from this chapter make up a significant portion of the 24 questions in the real exam, so being able to answer this one comfortably is a small but real step towards passing on the day.
The accepted answer is A: “Steam Power”. Memorise the underlying fact rather than the option letter — the order of options changes between attempts, and the real exam may rephrase the question.
More questions from this chapter
- Which TWO countries took part in the Battle of Agincourt?
- The Battle of Waterloo was fought against which country?
- The Boer War of 1899-1902 took place in ______
- What did Henry VII do?
- During the Victorian Age, the government promoted policies of free trade
Keep practising
- Take a full practice test on British History.
- Re-read the study notes for this chapter.
- Sit a 24-question timed mock.
- Browse the full question library.