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Interactions in the First Global Age The Renaissance occurred in the late Middle Ages, beginning in the 1400s in Italy. During this time period, Europe experienced many cultural changes and saw a return to "classical" thought, which meant a rebirth of the ideas and thoughts of the ancient Greeks. In fact, the word "renaissance" itself means "rebirth." During this time, there were many advances in the fields of literature, the arts, science, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, cartography (map-making), and medicine. Important people from this time period include Dante Alighieri, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo di Buonarroti Simoni, and Johannes Gutenberg. Exploration The period from 1000 to 1500 CE included the beginning of the Age of Exploration. The Age of Exploration can be defined as a period of time when Europeans began to search for a sea trade route between Europe and Asia. At this time, the land routes to Asia were not under European control. Getting goods from Asia was very expensive. The Europeans believed it would be a good idea to try and find a way to trade directly with places like China. Marco Polo became one of the first Europeans to travel the Silk Road to China prior to the beginning of the Renaissance. The trade routes that made up the Silk Road had been around for centuries, many dating back to the Roman Empire, but they had not been used for a long time. During his travels, Marco Polo became friends with the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan. Polo traveled around China and documented his travels in a journal. His tales increased European interest in places in the Far East like China. Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who sailed for Spain. He believed that ships could reach China by sailing west, across the Atlantic. Instead of reaching China, Columbus discovered the Americas. European nations began exploring and colonizing the Americas, which led to the growth of European empires. Culture Art and literature were two major areas of change during the Renaissance. The invention of the printing press gave people more access to reading materials, and literacy rose as a result. During this time, art was advanced by the use of linear perspective, the invention of oil paints, and the study of the human body. Architecture also gained importance, through the re-use of domes and columns. Many artists and architects were influenced by classical styles used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Philosophy re-emerged in the society through the development of two new ways of thinking: Humanism and Neoplatonism. Humanism can be described as an intellectual movement that focused on those areas that were considered "classic," including rhetoric, grammar, poetry, history, Latin, and Greek. These subjects became known as the "humanities." One idea of the humanists that differed greatly from Catholic teachings was that of individual accomplishment. Prior to the humanist movement, the Catholic Church had taught that individuality was relatively unimportant. The humanists, by contrast, believed that the human mind was essentially limitless, and each person should try to better themselves as much as possible through gaining a better education. In contrast to humanism was the philosophy of Neoplatonism. As part of the "re-birth" of classical civilizations, thinkers in the Renaissance were interested in writings of thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle. The goal of Neoplatonist thinkers was to incorporate Platonic ideas such as realism into a combination of teachings that blended classical philosophy and Catholic doctrines. Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian architect, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, inventor, musician, and painter. He was considered to be the best example of the "Renaissance Man" due to his extraordinary achievements and diverse talents. Da Vinci also studied the anatomy of the human body by dissecting male and female corpses of different ages and drawing what he saw. He designed many objects ahead of his time including a helicopter, tank, and His most famous works include Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and The Vitruvian Man. calculator. He also discovered the use of solar power. Dante Alighieri was an Italian poet whose most famous work was The Divine Comedy. The Divine Comedy was known as one of the greatest works of literature in the Middle Ages. The Divine comedy was also important in establishing the modern Italian language by increasing its use in literature. Botticelli was an Italian painter who lived in Florence. His famous works includeThe Birth of Venus, Primavera, and the Adoration of the Magi. Raphael was an Italian painter and architect. His famous works include Madonna del Granduca, The Small Cowper Madonna, and the The Alba Madonna. Michelangelo di Buonarroti Simoni was an Italian artist, sculptor, architect, and poet. His most famous work is the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which took four years to complete (15081512). Other famous works are The Last Judgment, the sculpture of David, La Pietà, and the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel Society During the Renaissance, Europe's economy was mostly rural and agricultural, so land ownership was a sign of social status and a source of income. Peasants, called serfs, worked as tenant farmers, which meant they lived and worked on the fields owned by a landlord. This system was known as feudalism. Gradually, kingdoms that taxed their populations came to replace the feudal system. This change occurred because society was making a shift from wealth that was derived from land ownership to wealth derived from trading and small-scale manufacturing. With money becoming the new sought-after wealth, it encouraged investment, helped expand urban economic centers, and led to the rise of middle class merchants. Eventually, Europe's interest in wealth led nations to free market capitalism. This economic shift set the foundation for the growth of mercantilism during the Age of Exploration. Mercantilism can be described as the idea that the wealth available in the world is limited, and one country could only get rich at the expense of another country. Governments attempted to become wealthy by controlling more land. Science and Technology Mathematical advancements greatly accelerated the exploration of science and technology. Inventions such as gunpowder, the printing press, and the compass also furthered science. Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer. He developed the theory that the sun was the center of the universe, an idea that was considered scandalous because the prevailing view was that the Earth was the center of the universe. Galileo Galilei was an Italian physicist, mathematician, and astronomer. He invented an accurate telescope. Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician and astronomer. He is most well-known for his discovery that the planets move in orbits that are elliptical in shape. Johannes Gutenberg was a German metalworker and inventor. He invented a printing press with movable type that allowed for faster printing. Government During the Renaissance, Italy was made up of individual city-states ruled by wealthy families. For example, in Florence, the Medici family ruled from 1434 to 1537. Other countries, however, were unified into a single nation and ruled by kings or nobility. Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian writer and political philosopher who lived in Florence. His most famous work was The Prince, in which he commented on the political environment in Florence and argued that a ruler should do whatever is necessary in order to maintain control of the state.