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Renaissance
“Rebirth of Education”
Italy
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Centers of trade: Milan, Venice,
Florence
Wealthy families ran cities:
- Milan – Sforza family
- Florence – Medici family
Upper class movement
Secular view: worldly, physical;
church view decline (less spiritual)
New Politics/New
Monarchs
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Niccolo Machiavelli (political philosopher)
- The Prince
- How to rule effectively
- How to keep one’s power
- Rejected morality
- Keep power #1 priority
- Machiavellian Rule
Humanism
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Secularism
Individualism
Humanism: Grammar, rhetoric, history,
poetry, literature
Petrarch – 1st Man of the Renaissance
- 1304 – 1374
- interest in civic duty (helping out
your town or city)
Renaissance Life
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Nobles:
- Baldassare Castiglione
- The Book of the Courtier
- guide book for proper
manners of noble people
Commoners
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Peasants
- 85 – 90% of population
- high rate of poverty
- Arranged marriages
- Male dominant society
Everyday Life
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Physical work
Housing:
- most lived in small thatch roofed
houses
- little furniture
- straw sacks for beds; “bed bugs”
Food: new food items introduced
Recreation: gatherings, holidays, plays
Superstitions
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Christian in faith, but wanted some
explanation for daily events
Witchcraft
- Some Good Witches - wise
Peoples
- Bad Witches – deal with Satan
Accusations centered on women
Witch hunting began
Learning Advances
Still only a few people could read, but
printing books began
- Printing Press – Johannes Gutenberg 1450
 Almanacs, Bibles
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New Roles
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Traditional views decline
Self-sufficiency start to fade
Governments play larger role in
people’s lives