Download The Italian Renaissance

Chapter 12, Lesson 2
Across the Centuries book
Pages 316-323
Cornell Notes
The Italian Renaissance
Directions: Write a definition for each term below, and then write a sentence using the word (underline
the word in your sentence).
-Renaissance
-republic
-mercenary
-humanism
-realism
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Directions: Create two difficult and meaningful questions about each key idea listed under teacher
information in the right-hand column. Write your question in the left-hand column right across from the
teacher information. Make sure to underline the answer to your question. Each question and its answer
should be written in a different color.
Student-generated questions (left-hand side)
Teacher information (right-hand side)
THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE RENAISSANCE
-During the new age, the Renaissance, people began to
focus on refinement, personal achievement, and learning.
The word Renaissance comes from a Latin word that
means rebirth or revival. The term is used to describe a
renewed attention to ideas from classical Greek and
Roman culture. This renewal first happened in northern
Italy and then spread to the rest of Europe between the
1300’s and the mid-1600’s.
ITALIAN CITY-STATES
-The government of Italy was different than the
government of other countries during the end of the
Middle Ages. In France and England there were strong
central governments forming, but in Italy there were
many small states (about 250 of them). When the
Renaissance began Italy’s small states were ruled by
cities and were called city-states. Each Italian city-state
was independent, and formed when the townspeople
freed themselves from the control of the feudal landlords
in the 1100’s. A few of the Italian city-states had a
republic form of government. A republic is a
government whose head of state is not a king. The U.S.
has a republic form of government.
Chapter 12, Lesson 2
Across the Centuries book
Pages 316-323
Cornell Notes
THE RULING CLASS
-Florence, Italy was a cit-state that was ruled by about
800 of the city’s wealthiest families (they were the ruling
class). They were aristocrats and they often were the
leaders of a guilds. These families lived in luxurious
palaces, and they hired architects to design and build
these palaces. Sometimes the ruling families would
fight for control over their city. In the 1430’s, the
Medici family dominated the ruling class of Florence.
-City-states would compete with each other for land and
power. They also fought to control the trade with other
countries. To defend the city-states the rulers would
gather large troops of mercenaries, or paid soldiers.
-A great political thinker of the Renaissance was Niccolo
Machiavelli. He wrote a book called, The Prince, that
discussed how a leader should govern his people. In
medieval times, the job of the government was to
administer justice, but Machiavelli had studied ancient
Rome, and thought the job of the government should be
to help it grow and expand. He stated that the ruler
should not worry if their actions were good or bad, but
only if it benefited the state (or country).
THE RENAISSANCE AND LIFE
-Some people who lived in Italian city-states were
religious, but also focused on life here on earth now.
Their goal was to understand people and their world
better. The Italian scholars turned to the works of the
ancient Greeks and Romans as their guide. Renaissance
scholars read the classics, and wrote some of their own.
They spent time to learn Greek and Latin languages so
they could read the ancient books more accurately. The
scholars wanted to recreate the spirit of classical arts,
literature, and philosophy. These scholars were called
humanists; they were concerned with the classics.
-During the Middle Ages people saw themselves as
sinful creatures trying to get to heaven, but the
Renaissance humanists did not see people as sinful.
They thought people had dignity, worth, and the ability
to achieve almost anything. Religion was important, but
life on this earth was also meaningful.
-Renaissance humanists focused on three ideas of the
Greeks and Romans. 1) each individual person was
important and had worth 2) a strong commitment to
public service 3) the idea of developing a variety of
skills and talents and being well-rounded in knowledge.
Humanists saw no limits to what people could achieve.
Some important Greeks and Romans that were studied
were Virgil, Socrates, Pericles, Cicero, and Archimedes.
THE FLOWERING OF ARTS AND LEARNING
-The new attitude about human potential affected many
areas of life during the Renaissance. It affected
literature, architecture and of course art.
Chapter 12, Lesson 2
Across the Centuries book
Pages 316-323
Cornell Notes
-One of the greatest figures of the Renaissance is the
Italian artist named Leonardo da Vinci. He is famous for
his painting Mona Lisa, and many other paintings. He
was also one of the greatest scientific thinkers of his day.
Leonardo was curious about how things worked, and he
had a strong desire to learn and was talented in many
ways. Leonardo was the ideal Renaissance man.
RENAISSANCE LITERATURE
-Italian writers Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni
Boccaccio were two of the first Renaissance humanists.
After examining Greek and Roman manuscripts they
discovered letters written by Roman politicians and
books written by Greek philosophers. They used the
same writing style. This inspired them to find new
technology for making books, and a growing number of
people read. Another literary genius was a Spanish poet,
playwright, and novelist named Miguel de Cervantes.
Cervantes was also a diplomat, and a soldier. His
greatest piece of writing is Don Quixote (an old
gentleman who sets out to rid the world of evildoers).
RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE
-Greek and Roman Classical styles of architecture also
influenced the Renaissance architects. Florence architect
Filippo Brunelleschi built a Roman-style dome on the
top of the Florence Cathedral. He was good at math and
was one of the first artists to use linear perspective (it
gives a flat surface a feeling of space and depth.)
RENAISSANCE ART
-Greek and Roman styles also influenced many
Renaissance artists. Renaissance painters and sculptors
wanted to show people and nature as they really were,
and this is called realism. Michelangelo was a great
Renaissance artist, and like other artists at the time he
studied anatomy so he could sculpt and draw the human
figure realistically. Renaissance artists depicted subjects
rather than religious ones. They created realistic
portraits, battle scenes, and country and street scenes
using a new technique of missing paints with oil.
WEALTH AND THE RENAISSANCE
-The Renaissance started with wealthy people because
they had enough money to allow them to enjoy their
leisure time. During this time they could study the ideas
of the Greeks and Romans, and they also could usually
read and write pretty well which made reading literature
and learning ideas much easier. Increased trade had also
brought the Italians into contact with other people and
ideas. Trade gave them extra money to buy and
appreciate art. Life for the average worker didn’t change
much because they were more worried with just making
a living than with learning about Renaissance ideas.