The Renaissance A New Europe is Born

The Early Modern World  In the late 15 th century, the same time as the growth of the Ottoman and Safavid Empires, Europeans engaged in a vigorous period of state building.  They created independent monarchies in western and central Europe  They then began to expand into the rest of the world

Petrarch  Living, I despise what melancholy fate has brought us wretches in these evil years. Long before my birth time smiled and may again, for once there was, and yet will be, more joyful days. But in this middle age time's dregs sweep around us, and we beneath a heavy load of vice. Genius, virtue, glory now have gone, leaving chance and sloth to rule. Shameful vision this! We must awake or die!  ---Petrarch, Epistolae metricae

The Renaissance  Literally: French for “rebirth”  After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe entered Medieval times, a period of limited learning, art, and innovation.  The reemergence of Greco-Roman ideas led to this new age  Began in northern Italy and spread to the rest of Europe

Characteristics of the Italian Renaissance Italian Renaissance Urban Society Wealthy Recovery from 14 th century Re-discovery of Greek and Roman works SecularIndividualism Printing Press

Italian States  Italy was not a centralized state; power was in city-states Milan Venice Florence  Medici family

The Italian Wars  Outside Italy, powerful monarchies were growing who were attracted to the wealth of Italy  French King Charles VIII invaded Naples  Spanish troops came to the aid of Italians  French and Spanish fought for 30 years  In 1527, the Spanish defeated the French and looted and destroyed Rome

Machiavelli  Wrote The Prince, a famous book about political power  Medieval writers wrote about the ethical side of a prince, based on Christian principles  He believed human nature to be self-centered  Political activities should not be restricted by moral principles; a leader must do what needs to be done  “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both. “

Renaissance Society- Nobles  Middle Ages- nobility based on owning land  Renaissance- land still important, but wealthy merchants also achieved nobility  2-3% of the population, but major impact  Baldassare Castiglione- The Book of the Courtier

Renaissance Society- Peasants and Townspeople  85-90% of the total European population  Peasants becoming increasingly free as the use of currency increased  Townspeople Patricians- wealthy traders, industrialists, and bankers Burghers- shopkeepers, artisans, guild masters, guild members Workers- low wages, 30-40% of population

Humanism  Humanism- the key intellectual movement of the Renaissance Classical Worldly Dignified Civilized Perfection  See humanism/ humanism/

Humanism  Really an old idea from Ancient Greece and Rome  Based on the Socratic and Platonic ideas of observation and reasoning  Idea that man, not God, was the center of the universe  Man controls his own destiny  Man can learn about and understand his world by observation and reason without God’s help  Helped spark a new age of secular learning and the development of early modern schools and universities such as Oxford and Cambridge  Led many to question both governments and the institutional Church

Vernacular Literature  Most official writing was in Latin  Humanist focus on classics also continued the use of Latin  Some writers, however, began writing in the vernacular- the language spoken in the region, such as Italian, French, or German Dante- Divine Comedy Geoffrey Chaucer- The Canterbury Tales Christine de Pizan- The Book of the City of Ladies

Education in the Renaissance  Renaissance humanists believed that education could dramatically change humans  Liberal studies Enabled individuals to reach their full potential History, moral philosophy, rhetoric, letters, poetry, mathematics, astronomy, and music  Women learned religion and morals

Renaissance Art  See PowerpointPresent/RenaissanceArt.ppt PowerpointPresent/RenaissanceArt.ppt

Artistic Renaissance in Italy  Realistic, focused on people  Fresco- a painting done on fresh, wet plaster with water-based paints  Paintings with depth; perspective  Used geometry to gain perspective and lighting  Donatello- sculpture  Brunelleschi- architecture (Dome of San Lorenzo in Florence- Duomo)

Masters of the High Renaissance  Leonardo da Vinci Realistic painting; then idealized painting Multi-talented Mona Lisa, The Last Supper  Raphael Madonnas School of Athens  Michelangelo Painter, sculptor, architect David, Sistine Chapel

Northern Artistic Renaissance  Illustrations for books  Wooden panels for altarpieces  Jan van Eyck- among the first to use oil paints  Minute details

Renaissance vs Middle Ages  12.htm 12.htm

Themes  How does humanism make people question why things are the way they are?  How do new ways of thought in science, religion, and politics affect government structures and daily life?  Identify major artists and works of the Renaissance.