Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Romantic artists and poets criticised the glorification of reason and science and focused instead on emotions, intuition and mystical feelings. Their effort was to create a sense of shared collective heritage and a common cultural past as the basis of a nation.

This served nationalism by helping people feel emotionally connected to their nation. Romantics like Johann Gottfried Herder argued that true national spirit (volksgeist) lived among the common people and was expressed through folk songs, folk poetry, and folk dances. Collecting these forms of folk culture helped build national identity and unity among people who shared a common cultural heritage.

Source: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe, Section 3.1 – The Romantic Imagination and National Feeling

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• The examiner expects two parts: (1) what Romantics focused on instead, and (2) how this helped nationalism — both must be addressed for full marks.
• Key terms to use: emotions, intuition, mystical feelings, collective heritage, volksgeist, folk culture — these come directly from the textbook.
• Mentioning Herder and the concept of das volk/volksgeist adds precision and earns marks.
• Avoid vague statements like "they helped people love their country" — be specific about folk songs, poetry, and shared cultural past.