Download The Renaissance - Miami Beach Senior High School

The Renaissance
SS.A.3.4.1; SS.D.2.4.6;
SS.B.2.4.1; SS.A.1.4.1-4
Europe Is Reborn From Italy
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Renaissance: rebirth
Italian city-states are the centers of
political, social and economic life
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Recovery from 14th Cen.=increased
interest in ancient culture (Roman)
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These urban societies produced secular
viewpoints, more $=enjoyment of luxuries
Remains of Roman world all around, inspire
Emphasis on individual human ability
Humanism
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Secularism and emphasis on the individual
Based on the study of the classics
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Grammar, rhetoric, poetry, moral philosophy,
and history
Petrarch: Influenced the rise of
humanism; found classic texts, stressed
use of ancient Latin
At first, humanists very involved in civic
life, by 15th Century the humanist life was
considered one of solitude and isolation
The Italian States
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Italy never develops centralized monarchy
City-states emerge as primary political unit
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Through the Middle Ages, Italian city-states
grow rich trading with Arabs and Byzantines
Three cities emerge as powerful, tradebased city-states (Venice, Milan, Florence)
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Italian traders set up posts in eastern ports,
picking up silks, spices, sugar & luxury goods
Italian ships reach into western
Mediterranean, trading as far out as England
and the Netherlands
Italy’s Big Three
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Milan, grows rich from position along trading routes
between ports and Alps
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Venice, link b/w W. Europe and Asia
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1300s: Visconti family comes to power, rules whole Lombardy,
dynasty ends 1447
Francesco Sforza leads band of mercenaries conquers Milan,
creates a strong, centralized government; Milan grows rich from
efficient tax system.
Grows rich from trade, controlled by rich merchant class;
establishes a trading empire
A republic controlled by a Doge, elected leader
Florence, ruled region of Tuscany, led by small group of
wealthy merchants
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Cosimo de’ Medici comes to power, Medicis rule Florence
behind the scenes
Economic decline leads to Medici family losing power to
Girolamo Savonarola, but gain power back after his execution
Renaissance Society
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Nobility grew, new nobles gain power,
serve as royal advisors and gov. workers
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Peasants, make up majority of pop.
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Expected to be warriors and educated
Exhibit character, grace and talent
Serfdom declines, rent payment replaces it
Townspeople, patricians over burghers
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Patricians: bankers, traders
Burghers: shopkeepers, artisans, guildsmen
Renaissance Thinking
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Niccolo Machiavelli, writes The Prince,
most important book on politics
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Vernacular Literature on the rise
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“For the sake of the state, the prince must
ignore morality”
Dante writes The Divine Comedy in Italian
The Canterbury Tales, English by Chaucer
Humanist education=preparation for life
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Goal was not to make scholars, but citizens
Greek Principle: sound mind, sound body
Painting
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Fresco: paintings made on wet plaster,
with water based paints
New realistic style of painting emerges
First “Renaissance paintings” in Florence
Study of movement and human anatomy
helps artists paint pictures where
movement is evident, and people look
lifelike
Sculpture & Architecture
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Donatello spends time in Rome, studies
the sculptures of the Greeks and Romans
Brunelleschi is hired by Medici to build
church in Florence
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Brunelleschi’s work fits human needs, not that
of the divine, won’t overwhelm like Gothic
Renaissance Masters
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1490-1520: High Renaissance brings three
artistic masters:
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Rafael: Known for “madonnas”, and frescos
in Vatican Palace.
Leonardo da Vinci: master realism, strived
to create idealized forms to capture perfection
of nature and individuals
Michelangelo: painter, sculptor, and
architect, passion to create idealized human
figures to reflect divine beauty
Northern masters begin to study in Italy,
and use oil paints to paint with more detail