Download Renaissance and Discovery - Mr. Gonzalez`s History Classes

Renaissance and Discovery
1350-1550
Key Topics
 Politics, culture, and art of the Italian Renaissance
 Political struggle and foreign intervention in Italy
 The powerful new monarchies of northern Europe
 The Thought and culture of the northern Renaissance.
Where were we before?
 Population Loss
 Church instability
 Rise of nationalism
 Political turmoil
Where are we going?
 Population rejuvenation
 Monarchs are becoming increasingly more powerful and able
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of imposing a new political order
Continued religious uncertainty.
Increased sense of individualism
Rise and fall of the Italian city state
Rise of the merchant class
Age of exploration and encounters with new civilizations
What was the Renaissance?
 Some historians categorize the Renaissance as a “rebirth,”
or a break from the Middle Ages and a transition into
modern times.
 How can this be questioned?
 The Renaissance began in the Italian city states.
 What are city states? How are they different from nation states?
 Why did the Renaissance begin in the Italian city states as opposed to
elsewhere in Europe?
Italian City States
 Merchant cities dominated
the political climate
 Remained prosperous
throughout the Middle
Ages because of its
continued trade with the
Near East
 Cities maintained their
own independence,
meaning Italy was not
united
 Ruled by wealthy merchant
families
City State Structure
 There was a huge economic divide between classes in many
city states but was especially seen in Florence.
 The Ciompi Revolt occurred as a result of the two wealthy
classes competing for power, the population loss that came
from the plague, and the collapse of the banks.
 Led to years of instability with the lower classes having the
power, ended with the rise of the Medici
 Who were the Medici?
Cosimo de’ Medici
Humanism
Main Ideas
 Humanism was the scholarly study of the Latin and Greek
classics that embraced rhetoric, poetry, politics, and moral
philosophy.
 Humanists were not against religious affairs, many studied
religion through a humanist lens in order to gain a better
understanding of religion.
 Petrarch is considered to be the Father of Humanism
 What writings is he known for?
For the Following Reading
 Does Petrarch’s letter give equal weight to classical and
Christian values? Why?
 What does he state as being important to his life?
My parents were honourable folk, Florentine in their origin, of medium fortune, or, I may as well
admit it, in a condition verging upon poverty. They had been expelled from their native city, and
consequently I was born in exile, at Arezzo, in the year 1304 of this latter age which begins with Christ's
birth, July the twentieth, on a Monday, at dawn. I have always possessed an extreme contempt for wealth;
not that riches are not desirable in themselves, but because I hate the anxiety and care which are invariably
associated with them.
The pleasure of dining with one's friends is so great that nothing has ever given me more delight
than their unexpected arrival, nor have I ever willingly sat down to table without a companion. Nothing
displeases me more than display, for not only is it bad in itself, and opposed to humility, but it is troublesome
and distracting.
The greatest kings of this age have loved and courted me. They may know why; I certainly do not.
With some of them I was on such terms that they seemed in a certain sense my guests rather than I theirs;
their lofty position in no way embarrassing me, but, on the contrary, bringing with it many advantages. I fled,
however, from many of those to whom I was greatly attached; and such was my innate longing for liberty,
that I studiously avoided those whose very name seemed incompatible with the freedom that I loved.
I possessed a well-balanced rather than a keen intellect, one prone to all kinds of good and
wholesome study, but especially inclined to moral philosophy and the art of poetry. The latter, indeed, I
neglected as time went on, and took delight in sacred literature. Finding in that a hidden sweetness which I
had once esteemed but lightly, I came to regard the works of the poets as only amenities. Among the many
subjects which interested me, I dwelt especially upon antiquity, for our own age has always repelled me, so
that, had it not been for the love of those dear to me, I should have preferred to have been born in any other
period than our own. In order to forget my own time, I have constantly striven to place myself in spirit in
other ages, and consequently I delighted in history; not that the conflicting statements did not offend me, but
when in doubt I accepted what appeared to me most probable, or yielded to the authority of the writer.
Humanism in Education and Writing
 Humanists sought to seek first hand knowledge of classical
writing
 What does this mean?
 Writers such as Castiglione and Christine de Pisan wrote
practical guides that illustrated the accomplishments of man
how they should live their lives
 What were the names of each of their works?
 What types of people were discussed in these works?
 Who is excluded?
 What does this tell you?
Castiglione
De Pisan