Advanced Placement (AP) World History Practice Exam 2025 - Free AP World History Practice Questions and Study Guide

Humanism is the philosophical movement primarily associated with the Renaissance because it emphasized the value of human beings, individualism, and the study of classical texts from Ancient Greece and Rome. This movement marked a significant shift in cultural and intellectual thought during the Renaissance period, focusing on the potential for human achievement and the exploration of human experience.

Humanists believed in the importance of education, particularly in the liberal arts, including literature, philosophy, and history. They sought to reconcile classical thought with contemporary issues and developed a perspective that placed humans at the center of intellectual inquiry. This resulted in advancements in literature, art, and science, as artists and thinkers began to explore themes of nature, the human condition, and individual expression.

The other options reflect philosophical movements that arose in different contexts and periods. Structuralism, for example, emerged in the early 20th century as a way to analyze cultural phenomena through underlying structures. Existentialism, which gained prominence in the 20th century, focuses on individual existence and personal freedom. Materialism, often associated with a focus on material wealth and the physical world, also does not align with the Renaissance's emphasis on human intellectuality and spirituality.