1. The Renaissance and Humanism
Internet Scavenger Hunt created by Gina Beirne, Library Media Specialist, Southside High School, Elmira

2. Directions
1. Write your answers on the answer sheet given to you by your teacher.
2. Use the underlined links to help you find web sites about the topics and to answer the questions.
3. If you have a problem opening any of the web sites, ask for help.

3. The Renaissance
What was the Renaissance? Use dictionary.com to find the definition.
(Hint: Use definition #2.)
Using a French-English dictionary, find out what Renaissance means in French.

4. The Medici Family
Who were the Medicis? Use the Infoplease.com Encyclopedia to find out. (Hint: Search for: Medici, Italian family.)
What was a patron? Use dictionary.com to find the definition. (Hint: Use the first definition.)
Lorenzo de Medici

5. Florence
Florence was the model of Renaissance culture. Using the learner.org web site “Focus on Florence,” answer the following questions:
What was the population of Florence in 1425?
What was the primary source of income for Florence?
What was the Florentine currency?
Now, take a virtual tour of Florence and find out more about the Duomo, Campanile, Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, the Uffizi and the Palazzo Pitti. Write two facts about each landmark.

6. Art
of the Italian
Renaissance

7. Michelangelo
Michelangelo was one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance. Using the web sites Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance and this biography, locate the following information:
In what year was Michelangelo born? When did he die?
What family raised Michelangelo?
Name three famous works of art by Michelangelo.
Using Google Image Search, find and print out a picture of one of them. Hint: In the search box, type Michelangelo and the name of the work of art.
Michelangelo

8. Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci is probably the most famous artist in the world. Use the “Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance” web site and the History Channel web site to find the following information:
In what year was da Vinci born? When did he die?
What patron did he have in common with Michelangelo?
What is a Renaissance man? Use infoplease.com to find out. Why is da Vinci considered to be a Renaissance man? What subjects did he study? (HINT: Use the pbs.org web site listed above.)

9. a drawing of da Vinci’s flying machine
Leonardo da Vinci
What are four famous works by Leonardo da Vinci? Use artcyclopedia to print out a painting by da Vinci that hangs in the Louvre. (HINT: To search artcyclopedia, go the bottom of the page. Search under artist’s name. Scroll down the Museums and Art Galleries to find the Louvre.)
Take a tour of Leonardo’s studio. Describe how artists in the Renaissance made paint.
a drawing of da Vinci’s flying machine

10. Mona Lisa Use the BBC web site to answer the following questions:
What is the Italian name for the Mona Lisa?
What are the two theories regarding the identity of the Mona Lisa?
What artistic technique did Leonardo use in painting the Mona Lisa? What does it mean in English?

11. a portrait of the artist’s sister, Minerva
Sofonisba Anguissola
Use the following links to find information regarding this woman painter of the Italian Renaissance:
Smithsonian.org, Women in Art, and Web Gallery of Art.
What year was she born? What year did she die?
How many paintings are credited to her?
For what Spanish king was she court painter?
What artist praised her work?
Find an image of one of her self-portraits and print it out. (Hint: Use the links above or use Google Image Search.)
a portrait of the artist’s sister, Minerva

12. Art
of the Northern
Renaissance

13. Dürer
Albrecht Dürer was an important artist of the Northern Renaissance.
What country was he from?
Use the WebMuseum to find out what types of art work he created. Name four types.
What are the names of his greatest copperplate engravings? (Hint: There are three.)
What amazing technological development occurred during Dürer’s lifetime, allowing wide distribution of his woodcuts and engravings?
Dürer

14. Jan & Hubert Van Eyck
Use the Wikipedia (a free online encyclopedia) to find information on Jan Van Eyck. Answer the following questions:
What type of paint was he one of the first to use?
Who was his older brother and teacher?
What was the Ghent Altarpiece? Where is it located?
What is a polyptych? (Hint: Click the blue link.)
the Ghent altarpiece

15. Bruegel
Use this web site about Bruegel to answer the following questions:
When did Bruegel live?
In what two cities did Bruegel live?
What type of paintings did Bruegel create? Pick one painting, click on it to make it larger, then print it.

16. Peter Paul Rubens
Search Encarta for information about Rubens. Answer the following questions. (Hint: Search for “Rubens Quick Facts.”)
Where did he do most of his work?
What four artists influenced Rubens’ work?
Name two great paintings by Rubens (other than the one shown here).
“St. George Slays the Dragon” by Rubens

17. Literature
of the
Renaissance

18. Gutenberg Use the following web sites to answer the questions below
Ananenberg/CPB Learner.org and PBS: Renaissance Overview:
What did Gutenberg invent? In what year did he invent it?
What class of people became more educated as a result of the invention? What new types of books were published at this time?
Before Gutenberg’s invention, how were books printed? Why was the invention so important?

19. Humanism Use the following web sites to answer the questions below
Ananenberg/CPB Learner.org and PBS: Renaissance Overview:
What was humanism?
According to humanists, should the church rule civic matters?
What type of literature did humanists study? From what two ancient civilizations were these works?
Name two of the authors studied.
Who was a famous Italian humanist poet?

20. Dante
Search Encarta for information about Dante. Answer the following questions. (Hint: Search for “Dante Quick Facts.”)
Who was the inspiration for many of Dante’s works?
When did Dante meet her?
What was his most famous work?
What is it about?
What is an allegory? (Hint: Use Encarta World Dictionary Online.)
What was it first called?
What word was added to the title in 1555?

21. Cervantes
Using the Hispanos Famosos site and the Literature Network, answer the following questions:
From what country was Cervantes?
What was Cervantes’ most famous book?
What is it about? Describe two of the main character’s adventures.
What famous sayings did Cervantes create? Identify three of them.

22. Shakespeare
Search Encarta for information about Shakespeare. Answer the following questions. (Hint: Search for “Shakespeare Quick Facts.”)
Where was he born?
Why were Shakespeare’s characters considered to be realistic?
Name three comedic plays.
Name three tragedies.
At what theatre were many of his plays performed?

23. Machiavelli
Search Encarta for information about Machiavelli. Answer the following questions. (Hint: Use the second article, “Niccolò Machiavelli Quick Facts.)
During what years did Machiavelli live?
What was Machiavelli’s most famous work?
What was it about?
What did critics say about it?
What are two of his other books?