1. Chapter 11, Lesson 1 The Renaissance Begins It Matters Because: Renaissance development helped shape today’s arts, architecture, literature, & science.

2. I. The Birth of the Renaissance A. As Europe recovered from Black Death, people became more confident about the future 1. Interest in art & learning grew Renaissance 2. Period called the Renaissance, from French meaning “rebirth” B. Rebirth of What? 1. Interest in classical knowledge from ancient Greece & Rome 2. Catholic Europe rediscovered Greek & Roman writings on mathematics, science, etc. secular 3. Europe developed interest in secular knowledge, worldly ideas

3. A. Heart of early Renaissance was Italy 1. Ruins & statues of old Roman Empire were familiar to Italians 2. By 1300s, Italian trade hubs like Florence & Venice had become wealthy patrons 3. Artists emerged as city’s wealthy citizens became patrons Patron a. Patron - wealthy sponsor of an artist B. Italy became more urban, people moved from farms into cities 1. People living in cities developed economies & shared ideas C. Many Greek & Roman texts had been preserved in Muslim libraries in Middle East & Iberia I. The Birth of the Renaissance

4. II. The Cities of Italy A. Italy was composed of independent city-states 1. Italians did not want king 2. The Church also did not want Italian king to control Pope B. City-states’ wealth allowed them to build navies & hire soldiers C. Italian banks loaned money to Europe’s kings for protection D. Italy’s shape & location made it a trade hub in Mediterranean 1. Coastal cities became trade centers 2. Location made it literally the center of Mediterranean trading world F. Crusades & Mongol conquests made contact & trade between Italy & Asia possible

5. III. Marco Polo Marco Polo A. In 1270s, Marco Polo led voyage to China Kublai Khan 1. Wanted to open trade with Kublai Khan, Mongol Emperor of China 2. The Khan was amazed by stories of Polo’s journeys B. Polo returned to Italy & wrote a book about his voyage 1. Stories amazed Europeans, created great demand for Chinese goods

6. Florence A. Florence - first major Renaissance city 1. Artists attracted to its wealth & central location on Italian peninsula 2. The cathedral dome considered one of Renaissance’s greatest engineering feats 3. Became wealthy trading & banking 4. Florence’s currency, the florin, traded across Europe 5. The Medici family ruled Florence & owned banks across Europe IV. Italian City- States

7. Venice A. Venice – N. coast of Adriatic Sea B. Built on many islands gondolas 1. Canals instead of roads, boats called gondolas used for transportation C. Central trading link between Europe & Asia 1. Marco Polo was Venetian D. Major shipbuilding center Venetian ArsenalAt the Venetian Arsenal, ships outfitted for trade & war IV. Italian City- States

8. wealth A. Italian Nobles gained power through wealth, not land republics B. Most Italian city-states were republics Republic 1. Republic - leadership elected by citizens 2. Only wealthy merchants & artisans were citizens C. The Doge (Duke) ruled Venice 1. Elected for life by city council Medici family D. In Florence, the Medici family ruled Lorenzo “the Magnificent” 1. Lorenzo “the Magnificent” ruled for almost 25 years 2. Was a patron for artists, architects, writers 3. Leonardo da Vinci was one artist supported by the Medicis

9. V. Machiavelli Niccolo Machiavelli A. Niccolo Machiavelli - politician, philosopher, & author from Florence The Prince 1. Wrote The Prince, a theory for strong government B. Believed a ruler (Prince) should do anything necessary to keep power & protect the people 1. Including lying & killing C. Believed it was better for a ruler to be feared rather than loved 1. Why? People take advantage of love, but respect fear “Machiavellian” D. “Machiavellian” is an adjective today to describe a ruler who is cunning & does whatever it takes to succeed