Download The Start of the Renaissance

Building Background
• By the 1300’s the horrors
of the Black Death had
passed, and people begin
worrying less about dying
and more on living.
• The 2 main causes for the
Renaissance are:
1. The crusades increased
trade between Europe
and Asia.
2. Roman and Greek art,
literature, and learning
come back to Europe.
Trade with Asia: The Silk Road Reopens
• The silk road was used
during the 1 A.D. – 300
A.D. But closed after the
Han Dynasty and the
Roman Empire fell, since
no soldiers were their to
protect traders.
• In the 1200’s the Mongols
conquer China and once
again makes the road safe
for travel.
Trade with Asia: Marco Polo
• Came from Venice with his
family and is one of the
more important traders that
used the silk road.
• He lived in China for 20yrs.
During this time he was an
govt. official for the Mongol
Emperor Kublai Kahn and
wrote about the his travels
and experiences.
• Through Marco Polo’s
stories more European’s
wanted Asian goods. Trade
increase!!!
Trade Cities in Italy
• During the 1300’s their
were 4 major trade cities
that thrived.
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Milan
Florence
Venice
Genoa
• All grew through
commerce = buying and
selling of a large quantity
of goods.
Trade Cities in Italy
• These cities played 2 important
roles in trade.
1. They were the main port cities
on the Mediterranean Sea.
Spices and other luxuries were
brought in from Asia, then were
shipped out all over Europe.
2. They were manufacturing
centers. Each city had
specialized tasks.
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Venice = glass
Milan = weapons and silk
Florence = wool to cloth
Genoa = boat building
• All of this increased wealth made
Italy the focus of European
Culture.
Florence Grows in Wealth
• Florence is an example of a
great trade city with large
amount of wealth coming in
during the 1300’s.
– Started with wool trade and
grew because of banking
• Bankers kept money from
traders all over Europe.
– Made money from loans and
charging interest
• Interest = a fee charged by
lenders to people who
borrow money from them.
***The fee is usually a % of
the loan. ***
Florence’s Greatest Family: Medici
• The greatest bankers in
Florence was the
Medici Family.
• In the 1400’s they were
the richest family which
gave them political
power to control the
city.
• Together this family
ruled Florence.
The Medici Family Influence
• The Medici wanted
Cosimo
Florence to be beautiful.
• They hired artists and
architects to redesign
many buildings.
• They improved
education; mostly
because they needed
bankers who could read,
write, and do math.
• Florence became the
center of Italian art,
culture, and literature
Lorenzo
Lorenzo De’ Medici School
The Birth of the Renaissance
• Florence is considered the
birthplace of the
Renaissance.
• Renaissance = means
“rebirth.” A period that
followed the Middle Ages.
• Love of art and education
was a key feature of this
time.
• Interest in Art and
literature (Greek &
Roman) was reborn.
The Renaissance
• During the Middle Ages, most
art and education focused on
religion.
• By the 1300’s scholars
broadened their interests.
They studied
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Poetry
History
Art
Language (Greek & Roman)
• These subjects were known as
Humanities.
• Humanities stressed the
importance of human abilities,
actions, and activities rather
than of God.