The Renaissance

The Italian Renaissance Renaissance: means “Rebirth” People wanted to make society better, interest same as Greek and Romans. Believed people made a difference People became secular: meaning more interested in world than religion and getting to heaven Four important patterns of thought:  humanism, individualism, secularism and skepticism. Trevi Fountain in Rome,Italy

Why Italy? Capitol of Roman empire connection Had become very wealthy from trade. City States competed for fame and fortune. Urban society created $ boom Ideas flowed with more people Laocoon defeated by snakes sent by greek gods

Trade & Commerce Flourished because of renewed contact with East Towns were centers for shipping & banking; Venice, Pisa & Genoa Coined money of precious metals used Proliferation of banking Florentine florin was base for currency weighed “72 grains of gold”, wars made it high finance. The “middle class” is formed, formed in the urban centers, charters formed w/ lords. Venice Genoa Pisa

Trade & Commerce cont. Guilds associations of merchants, then artisans governed cities; established wages & prices. Maintained standards of quality on goods, settled conflicts. Each guild had a saint, hosted festivals, guilds gave money to build cathedrals and walls Invigorated trade allowed people “new doors” Belief in individual pops up from this.

City-States Renaissance started in N. Italy in 1300’s Was “cradle” of renaissance and independent. Florence Siena and Venice rose as powerful city states, ruled a region Governed by guild members, citizens elected Selection of civic leaders was shady dealings Connected to Byzantine, Asian & Muslim merchants City-States produced, Milan=Metal, Florence= cloth & banking, Venice=transit Monarchs & nobles= debt to merchants

City-States cont. Florence was most influential City-State, industry in wool and textile from England and Flanders, 1/3 people worked with these. Used profits to buy lavish things to make profit Sold insurance to sea traders Banking was most lucrative, florin was respected

Medici Family was based in Florence Made money cloth and other goods Transitioned to banking in mid/late 1300’s Chief banker of pope In 1, 5 year period they profited 290,791 florins about 4 million now Were very shrewd and had political control.

Medici cont. Medici ruled Florence at height of renaissance = interest in civic and cultural life of city Maintained peace w/ treaties Milan, Naples and Venice Wars were decided by the Medici Lorenzo the magnificent, well educated renaissance man, was a scholar, poet composer, banker philanthropist, patron of arts & politician Threw parties and financed civic projects.

The dome took more than 11 years to paint and was begun in 1568 The dome took more than 11 years to paint and was begun in 1568. The painting represents the ascension to heaven and fall to hell with heaven represented in the upper most sections and hell on the lower ring of the dome. As you might imagine the Medici’s had their portraits added to the mural in a respectable high position of the dome seen in the picture above with crowns on their heads.

Medici cont. Each Medici leader encouraged development in arts. Became patrons of painters, sculptors, architects and scholars. Workshops and finances for artist, had fcinest collections in palaces. Medici revived Greek and Roman classical idea of citizen bodies Financial support of Italian city-states and their important families inspired a mighty upsurge in optimism, experimentation and creativity

Activity for the Day Earlier this week you read section 2; it talked about different inventions Your task today is… You need to think of a invention that could better society/community You will need to draw it out like Leonardo did with his projects. You will need to include a 100 word explanation of the invention on the back. It needs to be done in pencil The Telescope, The Microscope, The Flush Toilet, The Printing Press, Clocks, Eyeglasses/Spectacles, The Submarine