Renaissance and Reformation

“rebirth” considered the Italian Renaissance Important characteristics Large urban society Age of recovery from the disasters of 14 th century High regards of human worth and what individuals could achieve

Italy had no central monarch state Several small city-states Milan, Venice, and Florence Prospered from trade Power of city states would cause trouble among Italian states 30 yrs French and Spanish would battle to dominate the Italy country

3 social classes Nobility 3 characteristics of perfect noble Born, not made Had to be warrior Follow certain standard of conduct Aim of perfect noble was to serve his prince in an effective and honest ways

Peasants 50-90% of population Serfdom continued to decrease By 1500 more peasants were becoming free Townspeople Made up rest of population Patricians burghers workers unemployed

Family and Marriage Family bond – great security Parents arranged marriages – dowry Father was center of family made all decisions – authority over children Mother supervised the household

Intellectual movement of Renaissance was humanism Father of humanism – Petrarch Humanist emphasis on classical Latin Writers wrote in the vernacular Dante and Chaucer would make vernacular literature more popular

Education Humanists believed education could dramatically change human beings They wrote books and opened schools based on their ideas Core – liberal studies Study liberal education to produce individuals who follow a path of virtue and wisdom Humanist education was a practical preparation for life

Artists wanted viewers to see the reality in their subjects Techniques in paintings Fresco – painting done on fresh, wet plaster with water- based paints Famous artist – Masaccio He created the illusion of three dimensions Realistic style

2 developments 1. Technical side of painting 2. Investigation of movement and human anatomy Chief aim of this era was human made Flourished between 1490 and 1520 – High Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo

Protestant Reformation Name given to the religious reform movement that divided the Western Church into Catholic and Protestant groups Corruption was a call for reform Series of popes failed to meet the church’s spiritual needs

Martin Luther He thought different about achieving salvation Instead of doing good work you are to have more faith in God – justification He would lead a religious movement 95 Theses Lutheranism be new religious service German rulers began taking control of the churches Luther would be dependent on German states to help his church grow

German states accepted division between Christianity and Lutheranism Each give the same rights