Download Where did the Renaissance begin? What factors helped it to

Renaissance
Introduction and
Background
Where did the Renaissance begin?
What factors helped it to develop there?
The Renaissance started in Italy.
Three important factors contributed:
A. Influence/relics from the Roman
Empire
B. Trade with Byzantine Empire, North
Africa (influence from other cultures)
C. Trade brought in enough money to
spend on arts, sciences—people
could afford to focus on more than
survival
Renaissance Italy
Italy --not a unified
nation, but region of
city-states with
separate rulers
Papal States—
controlled by
Pope/Catholic
Church
Trading Centers:
Venice, Genoa,
**Florence
Economic Rivalry
between city-states
Explain what humanism is, and give
examples of how it was evident
during the Renaissance.
Humanism is the focus on human
things—the human body, human
emotions, human life, and human
education. The humanities were
academic subjects such as art, literature,
language, and music.
It was evident in realistic art that focused
on the beauty of the human body, in the
study of humanities (history, music, art,
literature), in questions and discussion
about religion and government
Humanism
How did people’s beliefs or attitudes
about life and Christianity during the
Renaissance differ from those people
held during the Medieval Period?
In the Medieval period, every part of
daily life connected in some way with
Christianity.
In the Renaissance, while people
were still very religious, there was
also an interest in secular (not
religious) parts of life: entertainment,
financial issues, science, art, love,
etc.
Explain the role of patrons like the
Medici Family and Isabella D’Este in
the Italian Renaissance.
The Medicis and Isabella D’Este were
PATRONS—they offered financial
support to artists. The Medicis were
bankers, the ruling family of the city of
Florence, a center of arts and banking.
Where did the Northern Renaissance
occur, and how did it differ from the
Italian Renaissance?
The Northern Renaissance occurred
in Germany, the Netherlands,
England, and France.
In the North, there was a greater
combination of Christianity and
humanism, including questioning of
the Church.
Northern art was more realistic—less
idealistic than Italian art which
focused on perfect human beauty.
Who were the Christian Humanists?
What did they believe?
Erasmus (The Praise of Folly),
Sir Thomas More (Utopia)
Applied humanist ideas to Christian
teachings
Wanted to reform society and inspire
people to live a Christian life, with less
emphasis on Church rituals and
ceremonies
Emphasized education, including
education for women
Printing Press
Who: Johannes Gutenberg
What: 1. An invention adapted from the
Chinese. 2. Moveable type. 3. Increased
literacy. 4. Decreased the price of books. 5.
Decreased the importance of scribes.
Where: Germany
When: 1450s
Why: It made books more accessible. New
ideas spread quickly. This would have a
profound impact on Christianity with the
Protestant Reformation.
Printing Press
What technological or scientific
advancements were made during the
Renaissance? From what part of the
world did these reach Europe?
Printing Press, navigational tools,
advancements in medicine and
astronomy
These came from the Byzantine
Empire/Ottoman Empire/Safavids,
China, and North Africa.
Renaissance Themes
Humanism—emphasis on
education
Revival/rebirth of classical
culture (Greece & Rome).
Importance of the individual
Celebration of beauty of human
body
Secular/worldly focus (focus
away from religion)
Growing role for government/
politics
New technologies