Intro to the Renaissance

Mr. Mizell: Humanities

Copy Down Vocabulary (2.1)• Renaissance – rebirth in art,

writing, architecture, and culture• Individualism – being independent

and having freedom to make choices• Secularism – concerned with

worldly rather than spiritual matters• Realism – showing life how it

actually is• Humanism – focusing on human

potential and achievement

Essential Question: What is the Renaissance

and why did it begin?

What was the Renaissance?

• Renaissance means “rebirth”• There was a rebirth in Greek and

Roman culture, art, and architecture throughout Europe.

• More Individualism, Secularism, Humanism

Why did it begin?

Cause 1 - Fall of Constantinople• 1453 – the city of Constantinople is

taken over by the Ottomans• Ends the Byzantine Empire (Roman)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=E8mNIK-HZTFVXM&tbnid=PbcQful4EKTVFM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.mideastweb.org/islamhistory.htm&ei=Z_81Ur-NLPWz4AOZk4HIBw&bvm=bv.52164340,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNFVa_VEQQEwvhmMbKMpLYTRsTR7GQ&ust=1379356852494057

Scholars Flee to Italy• After the fall of Constantinople,

the Byzantine scholars fled to Italy–They brought the Greek and Roman

ideas, art, and writing with them

New Ideas, Art, and Writing

• These Greek/Roman (Classical) ideas lay the foundation for the Renaissance

• Gradually, people will begin to apply these ideas and art to their own culture

Cause 2 - Trade• Trade from Asia moves through

the Middle East and up into Italy• Italian cities such as Florence

become the center of trade

Ideas move with Trade

• New ways of thinking on religion, people, and art travel with trade

• Trade means greater diversity and individualism in those Italian cities.

Trade Creates Wealth• Trade creates a new wealthy class of

people known as merchants (no longer just about nobles with lots of land)

• Some merchants will become patrons of artists (supporting them financially)

Italy’s trade carried the Renaissance ideas to the rest of

Europe

Cause 3 – Black Death

• A disease that begins in Asia and travels through trade routes/people into Europe

• Transmitted by fleas from rats

Many Die• Bubonic Plague kills between

30% - 60% of all Europeans• Chaos happens as people lose

faith

Changes Society• More jobs are available at

higher wages because so many died–Peasants can leave manors to get

jobs• People lose faith in the Church

The Black Death

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZy6XilXDZQ

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qK4X6bqy3o&feature=related

Directions• Work on the Causes of

Renaissance and Black Death sheet silently

• Raise your hand if you have questions or need help