RenaissanceIntroduction and

Background

Where did the Renaissance begin?

What factors helped it to develop there?

The Renaissance started in Italy.

Three important factors contributed:

A. Influence/relics from the Roman

Empire

B. Trade with Byzantine Empire, North

Africa (influence from other cultures)

C. Trade brought in enough money to

spend on arts, sciences—people

could afford to focus on more than

survival

Renaissance Italy

Italy --not a unified

nation, but region of

city-states with

separate rulers

Papal States—

controlled by

Pope/Catholic

Church

Trading Centers:

Venice, Genoa,

**Florence

Economic Rivalry

between city-states

Explain what humanism is, and give

examples of how it was evident

during the Renaissance.

Humanism is the focus on human things—the human body, human emotions, human life, and human education. The humanities were academic subjects such as art, literature, language, and music.

It was evident in realistic art that focused on the beauty of the human body, in the study of humanities (history, music, art, literature), in questions and discussion about religion and government

Humanism

How did people’s beliefs or attitudes

about life and Christianity during the

Renaissance differ from those people

held during the Medieval Period?

In the Medieval period, every part of

daily life connected in some way with

Christianity.

In the Renaissance, while people

were still very religious, there was

also an interest in secular (not

religious) parts of life: entertainment,

financial issues, science, art, love,

etc.

Explain the role of patrons like the

Medici Family and Isabella D’Este in

the Italian Renaissance.

The Medicis and Isabella D’Este were

PATRONS—they offered financial

support to artists. The Medicis were

bankers, the ruling family of the city of

Florence, a center of arts and banking.

Where did the Northern Renaissance

occur, and how did it differ from the

Italian Renaissance?

The Northern Renaissance occurred

in Germany, the Netherlands,

England, and France.

In the North, there was a greater

combination of Christianity and

humanism, including questioning of

the Church.

Northern art was more realistic—less

idealistic than Italian art which

focused on perfect human beauty.

Who were the Christian Humanists?

What did they believe?Erasmus (The Praise of Folly),

Sir Thomas More (Utopia)

Applied humanist ideas to Christian

teachings

Wanted to reform society and inspire

people to live a Christian life, with less

emphasis on Church rituals and

ceremonies

Emphasized education, including

education for women

Printing Press

Who: Johannes Gutenberg

What: 1. An invention adapted from the

Chinese. 2. Moveable type. 3. Increased

literacy. 4. Decreased the price of books. 5.

Decreased the importance of scribes.

Where: Germany

When: 1450s

Why: It made books more accessible. New

ideas spread quickly. This would have a

profound impact on Christianity with the

Protestant Reformation.

Printing Press

What technological or scientific

advancements were made during the

Renaissance? From what part of the

world did these reach Europe?

Printing Press, navigational tools,

advancements in medicine and

astronomy

These came from the Byzantine

Empire/Ottoman Empire/Safavids,

China, and North Africa.

Renaissance Themes

Humanism—emphasis on

education

Revival/rebirth of classical

culture (Greece & Rome).

Importance of the individual

Celebration of beauty of human

body

Secular/worldly focus (focus

away from religion)

Growing role for government/

politics

New technologies