Maria Theresa

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/maria-theresa

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Maria Theresa born?May 13, 1717
2. When did Maria Theresa die?November 29, 1780 (age 63)
3. Where was Maria Theresa born?Vienna, Austria
4. Who was Maria Theresa and what lands did she rule?Maria Theresa was a queen who ruled the Habsburg lands, a huge area that was larger than many countries put together.
5. How did Maria Theresa become queen?She became queen after her father, Charles VI, used the Pragmatic Sanction to try to secure her inheritance, but her rule was not smooth at first.

Pragmatic Sanction: A legal instrument designed to ensure the indivisibility of the Habsburg lands and allow female succession.
War of the Austrian Succession: A major European conflict (1740-1748) triggered by challenges to Maria Theresa's right to rule and territorial claims.
Habsburg Monarchy: The vast and complex collection of territories ruled by the House of Habsburg, a dominant European dynasty for centuries.