1. Renaissance Politics, Law, and Social Customs

2. Governing Italy
Italy was a collection of independent city states rather than an empire
Each state has its own government
Some were democratic- people elected the government
Unified in 1870

3. City States
Consists of a city and the rural area immediately surrounding it
Has its own government and military
Surrounding area called the hinterlands provides food and other goods

4. Modern City State- The Vatican

5. Stay Independent
Italian city states were able to stay independent due to their power from trade wealth and military strength
No one politician or leader could force the city states to join under one rule
Florence and Venice the 2 most powerful city states

6. Florence
Florence made its fortune in the cloth trade and controlled the kingdom of Naples.
located in Tuscany in northwest Italy
population of 100,000.
Early Florence was ruled by a kind of democracy made up of representatives from the city's guilds. Beginning in 1434, the extremely powerful Medici family ruled Florence.

7. Venice
Venice is a city built entirely on piles sunk into marshy islands at the head of the Adriatic Sea.
canals function as roads and highways.
population of people.
Its navy controlled the trade routes on the Mediterranean.
The supreme ruler was the Doge who was elected for life.
All members of the government all came from wealthy families

8. Currency More than 500 currencies were used at this time
The gold florin and the Venetian ducat became the standard unit of currency that was accepted throughout Europe
The Florentine bankers established the wealthiest banks in Europe
Invented cheques and modern accounting practices

9. Standard Coins
Florin
Ducat

10. Imagine that the government got soo tired of people spending their money on lavish or unnecessary luxuries that they passed laws to regulate how you spent your money
Each social class could spend different amounts
How would you react?

11. The Sumptuary Laws
A set of laws that prevented extravagance in private life by limiting how much people spent
These laws were made to control behaviour such as:
wearing certain clothing
consuming certain foods and beverages
hunting game in certain areas.

12. The Importance of Family
Families were usually large and relied in each other
Immediate families shared the home with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins
Children learned the trade of their family business

13. Renaissance Marriage Choice in marriage was dependent on social class
Middle class families gave their children more freedom of choice
Upper class families still preferred to arrange marriages that would promote family interests
Wives were almost always younger than her husband and she came with a dowry
Weddings were elaborate affairs

14. Born Into Power
The Medici family was the most powerful family in Italy
Important part of the Political and cultural life of Florence
Made their fortune as wool and silk merchants and as bankers
Used their wealth to control the city

15. Patrons of the Arts
The Medici family helped to encourage the growth of culture by finding and supporting the most famous artists
Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarotti