Renaissance

●​ Revival of interest in ancient Greek & Roman cultures

●​ Scholars improved their understanding of Greek & Latin languages to
study ancient texts.
●​ European adoption of Greek & Roman ideas led to a belief in
individual human potential.
●​ Europeans valued human efforts beyond religious matters, becoming
more secular.
Reading skills
1.​ Once the Black Death was over people felt more confident about their
future & their interest in learning & the arts was renewed.
2.​ The Renaissance
3.​ It meant “rebirth” in French.
4.​ Greek & Roman
5.​ They began to believe that people can make a difference & change
the world for the better.
6.​ Secular ideas are more worldly & don't focus on Jesus or God.
The Renaissance is Born
●​ Italy, as the heart of the Roman Empire, became the birthplace of the
renaissance.
●​ Familiarity with ancient ruins and statues in Italy inspired artists &
thinkers.
●​ Italian cities’ wealth and patronage allowed for artistic and intellectual
growth.
The States of Italy
●​ Italy remained a collection of states, including independent
city-states, during the Middle Ages.
●​ Italian states avoided centralized rule by emperors and kings, and the
catholic church supported this fragmentation.
●​ Rivalry and wars were common among Italian states, but none could
dominate the others.
●​ Florence, Venice, Genoa, Milan, & Rome played significant roles in
the Italian renaissance.
 ●​ Italian states’ wealth & power were reinforced by maritime strength,
hiring mercenaries, and providing loans to European kings.
Riches from Trade
●​ Italian states gained wealth through their strategic location as port
cities on the Italian peninsula.
●​ Italy’s central position in the Mediterranean facilitated trade with
Byzantine, Turkish, & Arab merchants.
●​ Italian merchants traded luxury goods like Chinese silk & Indian
spices in Europe & the Middle East.
●​ The Crusades & Mongol conquests played a role in expanding trade
& lowering the prices on goods.
●​ Marco Polo’s travels to China & his book about his adventures
inspired European interest in Chinese goods.
Critical Thinking Skills
1.​ Chinese silk because Chinese silk is expensive and hard to get.
2.​ Indian spices
3.​ Goods made by Italian artisans (Paintings)
4.​ Glass
5.​ Wool
Who was Marco Polo
●​ Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant, traveled to China in the 1270s with
his father and uncle.
●​ Marco Polo’s Encounters with Kublai Khan impressed the Mongol
emperor, leading to fact-finding missions across China.
●​ Polo’s extensive knowledge of Asia made him a significant figure in
European understanding of the East.
●​ Polo’s book about his travels sparked European curiosity and
demand for Chinese goods.
Florence: A Renaissance City
●​ Florence was a prominent center of the Renaissance, attracting
artists, writers, and architects.
●​ Wealth in Florence came from cloth-making and trading, especially
with English wool.
●​ Florence’s banking, including currency exchange and interest
charges, contributed to its prosperity.
 ●​ The Medici family, the wealthiest in Florence, owned the largest bank
in Europe during the 1400s.
Venice: A City of Canals
●​ Venice, a leading renaissance city, was located on small islands in
the Adriatic sea.
●​ The city was built on wooden poles driven into the mud to support
buildings.
●​ Instead of roads, canals served as streets, and boats were used for
transportation.
●​ Venice became a crucial link between Europe and Asia, with
merchants like Marco Polo making contacts with eastern civilizations.
A New Ruling Class
●​ Wealthy merchants and bankers in Italian city-states formed a new
ruling class.
●​ Urban nobles emerged as noble families moved from the countryside
to the cities and established ties with wealthy merchants.
●​ The upper class of the city-states consisted of the descendents of
noble families.
Who Ruled Italian City-states?
●​ Many Italian city-states began as republics with power coming from
its citizens.
●​ Citizenship was limited to merchants and artisans, and not all people
were considered citizens.
●​ Some city-states relied on powerful individuals to govern, either using
force or gentle approaches.
●​ Venice’s ruler was the duke, with real power held by a council of
wealthy merchants.
●​ The powerful Medici family controlled the government of Florence for
years, and Lorenzo de Medici was known as “the magnificent”.
Keeping the Peace
●​ Political affairs in Italy were complex, involving handling revolts,
preventing power grabs, and maintaining good relations with
neighboring states.
●​ Diplomacy was developed as a way to make agreements with other
countries and maintain balance of power in the region.
 ●​ Niccolo Machiavelli’s book “The Prince” discussed the necessary
actions for rulers to retain power, even if it involved deceit and
violence.
New Ideas and Art
●​ Humanism emerged 1300s and 1400s
●​ Humanism emphasized the importance of individuals and human
society.
●​ It was based on ancient Greek and Roman ideas, encouraging the
pursuit of knowledge through reason rather than religious faith.
●​ Humanism promoted active involvement in cities and the
development of individual talents.
Discovering Ancient Works
●​ Italian scholars began studying ancient Roman and Greek works in
the 1300s largely unknown in Europe during the Middle ages.
●​ Contact with Arab Muslim scholars in the Middle East and Byzantine
scholars brought knowledge to Europe.
A New Literature
●​ Humanists contributed to literature by writing in both classical latin
and the vernacular languages- Italian, French, German, English
●​ Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy”, written in Italian, is a notable
work portraying a journey from hell to heaven.
●​ Geoffrey Chaucer wrote “The Canterbury Tales”.
Reading Skills
Who are each of these people, and what are they famous for doing
during the Renaissance? *read pages 592-595
​Francesco Petrarch- A famous humanist scholar
​Dante Alighieri- A vernacular literature writer
​Geoffrey Chaucer- Wrote the Canterbury Tales
Gutenberg's Printing Press
●​ Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press, developed in the early 1450s,
used movable metal type to print books more efficiently.
●​ The printing press allowed for the rapid production of books, making
literature more accessible to people.
 ●​ The invention of the printing press significantly contributed to the
spread of humanist ideas throughout Europe.
●​ Lead to increased intellectual exchange and the dissemination of
knowledge.
What Effect Did Humanism Have on Society?
●​ Humanist scholars explored various subjects, including biology,
medicine, astronomy, and mathematics, contributing to
advancements in knowledge.
●​ Renaissance scientist and artist Leonardo da Vinci made significant
contributions to various fields, including anatomy and paleontology.
What New Styles Did Artists Develop?
●​ Renaissance art differed from medieval art by portraying realistic
human appearances & emotions.
●​ Renaissance artists pioneered the use of perspective, chiaroscuro
(light and shadow), and fresco painting techniques to create 3D and
emotionally expressive artworks.
●​ Giotto was one of the first artists to depict human emotions through
gestures and facial expressions in his wall paintings.
The Northern Renaissance
●​ The renaissance spread from Italy to northern Europe in the late
1400s, driven by factors such as war, trade, travel, and the printing
press.
●​ Northern artists embraced Italian Renaissance styles but adapted
them to their own preferences and needs.
Who Were Leading Renaissance Artists?
●​ Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael were prominent
Renaissance artists.
●​ Leonardo da Vinci’s famous works include the Mona Lisa and the
Last Supper, showcasing his attention to detail and human emotions.
●​ Michelangelo’s masterpieces include the Sistine Chapel ceiling,
displaying biblical scenes and artistic brilliance.
Northern European Painters
●​ The term “Northern Renaissance” refers to cultural changes in
belgium, the netherlands, luxembourg, and germany.
 ●​ Northern artists, like their Italian counterparts, aimed for realism but
used different techniques, such as painting in oils for richer colors
and greater surface detail.
●​ Jan van Eyck, a Flemish painter, was skilled in using oils and is
known for works like “The Arnolfini Portrait” showcasing intricate
details and colors.
●​ Albrecht Durer of Germany blended Italian Renaissance methods
with German traditions and gained fame for his engravings,
particularly “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”.
England’s theaters
●​ The renaissance reached its peak in England during Elizabeth I’s rule
in the late 1500s.
●​ Renaissance England had a strong fondness for plays, and the first
theaters were
Early Calls for Reform
●​ Renaissance humanism influenced educated Europeans, leading to
criticism of the wealth and power of the Catholic Church.
●​ In 1517, German monk Martin Luther questioned the authority of the
Church, sparking the Reformation and the rise of Protestantism.
John Wycliffe speaks out
●​ In the 1300s, the Catholic Church faced problems, including wealth
accumulation, indulgences, and questioning the pope’s authority.
●​ English priest John Wycliffe preached that Christians needed to
recognize Jesus as the head of the Church, not the pope.
Who was Erasmus?
●​ Christian humanism emerged from renaissance humanism, seeking
to restore the simple faith of the early church.
●​ Desiderius Erasmus, a prominent Christian humanist, believed that
reason and Bible study could improve the church and society.
●​ He wrote “Praise of Folly”.
Luther’s Reformation
●​ Martin Luther’s criticism of indulgences and other Church practices
led to the posting of his 95 theses in 1517, sparking a religious
revolution.
 ●​ Luther’s ideas led to his excommunication by Pope Leo X and the
creation of Lutheranism.
●​ Lutheranism: Salvation by faith, Bible is the source of truth, and the
church includes all believers.
●​ Lutheranism gave hope to rural peasants in Germany who were
suffering from poor crops and high taxes.
Rulers and Lutheranism
●​ Protestantism spread in the 1500s due to the support of some
European rulers who saw it as a way to increase their power against
the Catholic church.
●​ The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 allowed each German ruler to decide
the religion of their people, leading to a division of Germany into a
Protestant north and a Catholic south.
●​ Protestant ideas spread to Switzerland, where new reformed
churches were established.
What is Calvinism?
●​ Calvinism, developed by John Calvin, included the belief in
predestination, where God determines who will go to heaven or hell.
●​ Calvinism encouraged people to work hard and influenced the idea of
church members choosing clergy and even government leaders.
The Catholic Reformation
●​ The catholic reformation was a movement in the 1500s and 1600s
aimed at improving the catholic church and countering the spread of
protestant ideas.
●​ It helped the church regain some of the territories in Europe that had
been lost to Protestantism.
Catholic Reforms
●​ Pope Paul III called the Council of Trent, a council of bishops that met
between 1545 and 1563 in Trent, Italy, to address the challenges
posed by protestantism.
●​ The Council of Trent affirmed catholic beliefs and doctrines and made
efforts to end church abuses such as the sale of indulgences.
●​ The church set up seminaries to train new priests and imposed strict
rules of behavior on bishops and priests.
 ●​ The society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits, was founded by Ignatius
of Loyola. The Jesuits aimed to bring Protestants back to the Catholic
faith through teaching and preaching.
The Spanish Armada
●​ Queen Elizabeth I of England led the Protestant nation against
catholic Spain under King Philip II.
●​ The Spanish Armada, a massive fleet, was sent by Philip to invade
England and take revenge on Elizabeth for supporting the protestant
dutch rebels.
●​ The English used their smaller, faster ships to break the Armada
apart.
Critical Thinking Skills
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