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What Was the Renaissance?
By Sharon Fabian
For much of history, humans have had to spend their
time surviving. Prehistoric people probably spent nearly all
of their time hunting for food and keeping themselves safe
from predators. As recently as the 1930s when the Great
Depression struck, Americans went into survival mode,
spending all of their efforts on getting the necessities of
life. Today in many parts of the world, survival is still all
that people can think about.
1
At certain times and places, however, people have been luckier. When the
conditions were just right, people became free to spend their time and energy on
something special. This is what happened in Europe during the Renaissance. Many
factors combined to make Renaissance Europe a special, creative place.
2
The Medieval Era, which had defined Europe for so long, was beginning to
come to an end in the 1300s. The Black Plague wiped out a large part of the
population of Europe. It also weakened people's faith in the Christian church,
which had exerted so much control over the lives of medieval people. Advances in
military equipment, such as the invention of long-range cannons, brought an end to
medieval warfare and, so, to the feudal system. Europe was ready for a change.
3
People began to look to education and science for answers. Greek and Roman
writings that had been discarded years ago were dusted off and studied once again.
People began to consider new answers, new ideas, and new ways of doing things.
The ideas of individual people became valued. This renewed belief in the potential
of individual human beings became known as Humanism. It became a hallmark of
the Renaissance.
4
Creative people like writers and artists began to produce works that were new
and different from medieval art work. Paintings were more lifelike and less formal
than medieval paintings. Writers tried to understand human nature through their
writings.
5
People of the Renaissance were able to do this, in large part, because of the
sponsorship of rich and powerful patrons. Wealthy families of businessmen, who
had made fortunes in international trade, took an interest in having art and learning
in their cities. They were willing to spend lots of money to sponsor artists,
scholars, and craftsmen who would produce works that would bring education and
creativity to their city.
6
The Medici family in Florence, Italy, and the Sforza family in Milan, Italy,
were two of the most wealthy and influential Renaissance families. The Medici
family made their city of Florence a center of Renaissance culture. The Sforza
family did the same for Milan. They sponsored creative people in many fields,
including art, architecture, literature, and science.
7
Artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Giotto, Titian, Raphael, Michelangelo, and
Botticelli painted some of the world's most famous works of art in the cities of
Renaissance Europe. Architects like Brunelleschi designed beautiful buildings
there. Inventors like Gutenberg came up with new creations, and scientists like
Galileo and Copernicus announced discoveries that changed the way people
understood the world. Explorers like Christopher Columbus set sail from
Renaissance Europe.
8
These giants of the Renaissance, and many others, left a legacy of beautiful and
innovative work. They gave the word "Renaissance" the meaning that we know it
by today - a time of extraordinary creativity and accomplishment.
9
10
This special period in our world's history continued for about 300 years.
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Name _____________________________
Date ___________________
What Was the Renaissance?
1. The Renaissance began in the
______.
300s
1600s
1900s
1300s
3. Michelangelo was a/an ______.
Painter
Scientist
Architect
Businessman
5. The Medici family were ______.
Painters
2. The accomplishments described in
this article took place in ______.
Europe
Asia
South America
North America
4. Copernicus was a/an ______.
Scientist
Painter
Businessman
Architect
6. Brunelleschi was a/an ______.
Businessman
Scientists
Architects
Businessmen
7. The Renaissance was a time of
______.
Church rule
The plague
Creativity
Hunger and poverty
Government official
Architect
Scientist
8. The Renaissance ended in the
______.
1300s
1900s
1600s
300s
What Was the Renaissance? - Answer
Key
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1300s
Europe
Painter
Scientist
Businessmen
Architect
Creativity
1600s
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