AND REFORMATION

The Renaissance

Why Italy

Italy had been center of Roman Empire

Cities survived the Middle Ages

Wealthy & powerful merchant class--Medicis

What was the Renaissance?

Political, social, economic, & cultural changes

Change in the way people viewed themselves

Ideal: person of talents in many fieldsAdventure & curiosityHumanism: focus on worldly subjects

rather than religionHumanities: grammar, rhetoric, poetry,

history

Art Geniuses

Leonardo: Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, scientist, inventor, engineer

Michelangelo: statue of David, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Cathedral, engineer, poet

Raphael: Christian & classical styles, Madonnas, The School of Athens

Writers

Rise in “how-to” books

Castiglione’s Book of the Courtier; manners, skills, learning, & virtues court members should have; man is athletic but not overactive, woman is a balance to men, graceful & kind, lively but reserved; “She is beautiful, for outer beauty is the true sign of inner goodness.”

Machiavelli’s The Prince; a guide to rulers on how to gain & maintain power

The end justifies the means!

Use whatever methods necessary to achieve their goals

Getting results are more important than keeping promises

Machiavellian—use of deceit in politics

Writers

Northern Renaissance

Began later in North due to the effects of the

Black DeathBegan in Flanders

Dürer brought techniques home; known as “German Leonardo”

Thinkers & Writers

Erasmus: Greek edition of the New Testament, translated Bible into vernacular, The Praise of Folly

Thomas More: social reform, Utopia, none are idle, all are educated, justice is used to end crime, not eliminate the criminal

Utopian—ideal society

Cervantes: Don Quixote; mocks romantic notions of chivalry

Shakespeare: wrote 37 plays; Richard III, Romeo & Juliet, MacBeth, Hamlet

First appearance of 1700 new words, including: bedroom, lonely, generous, gloomy, heartsick, hurry, & sneak

Thinkers & Writers

Printing Revolution

Johann Gutenberg: movable metal type printing press; 1456

Effects: Books became cheaper and easier to produce More people learned to read & write Helped the spread of new ideas