Download The Renaissance Begins

The Renaissance Begins
Chapter 17, Section1, page 608
Objectives
• After this lesson, you should be able to:
– describe how the city-states of Italy began a rebirth of
art and learning in Europe.
– explain how Italy’s location helped it grow wealthy from
trade and banking.
The Italian Renaissance – page 609
• Renaissance – the period from 1350 to 1550 in
Europe, means “rebirth”
– rebirth of interest in art and learning
– Greek and Roman influence and admiration
– religion was still important, but people became more
secular (more interest in this world than in religion
and getting into heaven)
The Italian Renaissance – page 610
• Why Italy?
– location, location, location
– center of Roman Empire
– Italy’s city-states became
wealthy
– competition between citystates
– more urban population =
more patrons for art and
more ideas being spread
The Rise of Italy’s City States – page 611
• Italy remained divided
– the Church
– wealth (private armies;
loans)
• Italy’s city-states grew
wealthy through trade.
– geography was crucial
– goods included: silk, spices,
wool, wine, glass
Who Was Marco Polo? – page 612
• Marco Polo
– explorer in China
– Kublai Khan
– his book stimulated interest in China
The Wealth of Florence – page 612
• Florence – the most
famous city of the
Renaissance
– wealth through trade (wool)
– banking
– Medici – rich banking
family from Florence,
effectively ruled Florence
The Rise of Venice – page 613
• Venice
– shipbuilding
– famous for its “streets” –
canals and waterways
– gondolas – long narrow
boats used for
transportation in Venice
The Rise of Venice – page 613
The Rise of Venice – page 613
The Urban Noble – page 615
• powerful doges
• complicated politics (rich vs. poor,
rich vs. rich, city-state vs. city-state)
• diplomacy – negotiating with other
countries
• Niccolò Machiavelli – the diplomat
who wrote The Prince in 1513
– claimed people were greedy and selfcentered
– do what you must to hold on to power –
not concerned about what was morally
right, but with what was politically
effective