French Word meaning “rebirth”

 Describes a period of Western European history between 15 th and 17 th centuries.  Occurred AFTER the “Middle Ages”  “Middle Ages” focused on and church and activities surrounded heaven rather life here on Earth which was due in part to the mass deaths of the “Black Death” epidemic. People turned to God and church.

 Europe emerged from “Middle Ages” with financial, artistic, social, scientific, and political growth  Hence the meaning “rebirth”  Occurred throughout Europe but the changes that we associate with Renaissance first occurred in Florence, Italy.

 Most of the financial growth was to support creation of art and architecture  Exploration led to new trade routes across Atlantic Ocean aided by new innovations in navigation and cartography  Significant inventions and advancements were made in mathematics, machinery, medicine, astronomy, and physics

Humanism, a system of thought and action concerned with human interests and values, was the dominant movement of the Renaissance.  Human beings have dignity and intelligence.  They (we) can change the world and make it a better place for all.

The ideal so-called Renaissance man was successful in business, well-mannered, educated, athletic, and brave.  The goal of education became making people well-rounded.  Religion remained important, but the authority and some practices of the church began to be questioned.

 Only done for church  Religious themes  Conveying a message  Serious and Somber  Two dimensional  Dark colors  Gold background  Less realistic  Painted for wealthy patrons  Not religious themes  Collector’s items  Lighthearted  Bright colors  Landscape in the background  Oil paintings  Realistic  Fairly three dimensional

 Clocks-oldest surviving mechanical clock were made in Italian scientist, Galileo, discovered the pendulum which made time keeping better.  Hour glasses  Watch-invented by German Peter Henlein in 1505 (pocket watch)

 Mid 1400’s, Johan Gutenberg of Germany invented the printing press using movable type. Books able to be printed with great speed and less effort. The Gutenberg Bible is considered one of the first books ever printed.  Eyeglasses were invented in 1300’s  Lenses, used more than for eyeglasses, also were used for astronomical telescopes to at stars and planets in  Isaac Newton made the first reflecting telescope in 1668.

Printing:  The Chinese were the first to invent printing in 868.  In the mid-1400’s, Johan Gutenberg of Germany invented a printing press using moveable type.  Now books could be printed with greater speed and less effort.  The Gutenberg Bible is considered one of the first books ever printed.