Began in Italy Spread north through Europe Arrived late in England

What was the Renaissance? What was the Renaissance, and where did it begin? Italy Italian Cities Urban Societies Major Trading Centers Secular Moved away from life in the church Focuses more on material objects and enjoying life

Renaissance = “rebirth” of classical Greek and Roman culture and learning The Renaissance World Small cities and villages Class status and rank important Insecurity – plague, fire, disease

The Crusades

How did the Crusades contribute to the Renaissance? Increased demand for Middle Eastern products Stimulated production of goods to trade in Middle Eastern markets Encouraged the use of credit and banking

How did the Crusades contribute to the Renaissance? Church rule against usury and the banks developed practices of finagling interest helped to secularize northern Italy. Letters of credit served to expand the supply of money and expedite trade. New accounting and bookkeeping practices (use of Arabic numerals) were introduced.

Marco Polo

Ottoman Turks Capture Constantinople 1453 The university is closed and scholars flee to Italy with the majority of extant manuscripts of Greek and Roman literature and law

Why Italy?  Merchant Republics – similar to city states  Oligarchies  Wealthy merchant rulers became important patrons of the arts and sciences  Location, Location, Location!

Why Italy?  Location, Location, Location!

Why Italy?  Location, Location, Location!

Celebrated the individual emphasized the dignity and worth of the individual Stimulated the study of Greek and Roman literature and culture Humanism (idea or belief in) – Humanities (state or condition of) - Humanist (person who practices/concerned with something)

RENAISSANCE HUMANISM Optimism about human potential Virtu: “the quality of being man” Artists try to compete with great art of classical past

► Humanists were laymen rather than clergy and had ‘literary occupations’  Teachers of humanities in universities  Secretaries in chancelleries of Italian city-states  Advisors or secretaries in courts of Princes or Popes

The Emergence of Humanism ► Petrarch ( )  First to characterize the Middle Ages as a period of darkness  Promoted mistaken belief that medieval culture was ignorant of classical antiquity  Gathered forgotten Latin manuscripts from monasteries throughout Europe

PETRARCH

Humanism in 15 th C. Italy ► In the 14 th C, Humanists lived in solitude  Rejected family & community life ► Humanism became tied to community spirit and pride ► New side called ► New side called Civic Humanism  Modeled on Cicero, a statesman & intellectual

Civic Humanism, cont.  Explained in The New Cicero by Leonardo Bruni  Inspiration for Renaissance ideal that “an individual grows to maturity both intellectually and morally through participation in the life of the state”  Reflected values of urban society  Humanists believed their services should be used by the state Does this humanistic ideal still exist in our society today? If so, where?

Humanism in Education Humanism in Education ► Human beings could be profoundly changed by education ► Founded secondary schools ► Taught liberal arts & phys. ed.  History, philosophy, rhetoric, grammar, logic, poetry, math, astronomy, music  Javelin, archery, dancing, running, wrestling, hunting, swimming ► Wanted to produce individuals who were virtuous & wise, could convince others to be the same

► ► painting of Massimiliano Sforza, the son of the duke of Milan, attending to his lessons.

RENAISSANCE MEN --men with driven, passionate, and compulsive personalities --men who are highly accomplished in a variety of endeavors Leonardo da Vinci --engineering, painting, sculpting, writing, designing, inventing Michaelangelo --architect, engineer, painter, sculptor, poet