Unit 1 Review Guide – Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution
1. What was the Renaissance? Where did it begin? When did it take place?
 Rebirth of classical (Greek & Roman) art, culture, and learning
 Italy
 1300’s-1600’s
Other Vocab to Know
-Classical
- Secular
-Non-secular
-Renaissance Man
2. How did the medieval world differ from Renaissance society?
 Medieval world was based on land ownership, was mostly rural and agricultural, and your place in
society was based on birth/heredity rather than ability
 Renaissance world was moving toward an urban society, with power determined by wealth and
achievement
3. What caused the Renaissance to begin?
 Increased contact with the more developed Eastern world through trade and the Crusades
 Eventually the Black Plague  people beginning to question the Church because their prayers did not
stop the disease
4. What is humanism? How does Renaissance society demonstrate the idea of humanism?
 Belief in the limitless potential of humans
 Society becomes more focused on ability and wealth, human achievements and accomplishments are
celebrated through artwork, books, etc.
5. What are the characteristics of Renaissance art? How does Renaissance art differ from medieval art?
 Shading, perspective, realism
 Renaissance art more realistically portrays the human body and the world, and the paintings have
greater depth
 Medieval art was very religious, whereas Renaissance art was more secular (though still portrayed
religious subjects, just in a real way)
6. Identify at least one major work with each of the following artists…
a. Leonardo da Vinci – Mona Lisa, Last Supper, Vitruvian Man
b. Michelangelo Buonarotti – statue of David, Sistine Chapel ceiling
c. Donatello – statue of David in bronze; Madonna and Child
d. Raphael – School of Athens, Madonna and Child
7. How did the Medici family and other patrons influence the development of Renaissance art
 Patrons used their wealth to financially support artists and commission great works of art which helped
make art more popular and available
8. Identify the major work of each of the following authors, and then describe what that book/writing is about.
a. Erasmus – Praise of Folly – importance for society to still value the Christian Bible
b. Thomas More – Utopia – describes an ideal society that has eliminated war and greed
c. Shakespeare – Romeo & Juliet / Hamlet / Othello / etc – accurately portrays human relationships/flaws
9. How did Gutenberg’s printing press impact the Renaissance?
 Made books cheaper and more available, which increases literacy rates,
knowledge, and the spread/development of ideas
The Protestant Reformation and the Counter Reformation
10. What were the major issues that led to the start of the Protestant Reformation?
 Corruption in the Catholic Church and the sale of indulgences
Other Vocab to Know
-95 Theses
-Recant
-Predestination
-Vernacular
-Peace of Augsburg
11. What was the ultimate result of the Protestant Reformation? Where did it begin and where did it spread?
 Creation of new Christian denominations throughout Western Europe.
 Begins in Germany
 Spreads throughout Western Europe and all over the world
12. What is an indulgence? Why was Martin Luther opposed to the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences?
 Written documentation that your sins had been forgiven; purchased from priests
 Martin Luther disagreed with the church “selling” a way into heaven
13. How did Luther and the Church differ on the topic of salvation?
 Luther: salvation by faith alone
 Catholic Church: salvation by faith and good works (human effort)
14. How did Luther’s reform movement begin? How did the upper/lower classes respond? How did the Catholic
Church respond?
 Posting of 95 Theses
 Upper class: supported Luther because it increased their own power and weakened the church.
 Lower class: felt betrayed by him at first for putting down their rebellion, but eventually supported
Luther because it increased their spiritual status and weakened the church
 Catholic Church responds by excommunicating Martin Luther
15. Identify the Protestant religion created/supported by each of the following people…
a. Martin Luther - Lutheran
b. John Calvin - Calvinism
c. Henry VIII & Elizabeth I - Anglicanism
16. What were the major effects of the Protestant Reformation on European society?
 Weakening the power of the Catholic Church
 Strengthening the power of monarchs
 Increased the secular movement of society
 Peace of Augsburg: religion of each state is to be determined by its ruler
 Religion now divided Europe
17. How did the Catholic Church respond to the Protestant Reformation?
 Apology for past wrongs, creation of new priests (Jesuits), restatement of official beliefs (faith and good
works), and revival of the Inquisition.
 Counter Reformation
18. Give a brief description of the purpose of each of the following aspects of the Counter Reformation…
a. Council of Trent – clarify Catholic beliefs and apologize for wrongdoing  Bible and Church are equal
authorities, Church interpretation of the Bible is final, and need both faith and good works for salvation
b. Jesuits – highly educated priests used to bring Protestants back to the Catholic Church and restore
people’s faith in the clergy
c. Inquisition – arrest, torture, and execute heretics in an attempt to restore the supremacy of the Catholic
Church; convert Protestants back to Catholic; remove Protestant leaders so the movement would stop
The Scientific Revolution
19. What was the medieval view of the universe (before the Scientific Revolution)?
 Geo-centric (earth-centered) model of the universe
20. Explain the difference between the Geocentric and Heliocentric Theories.
 Geo-centric (earth-centered) vs. Helio-centric (sun-centered) universe
21. Describe the major theories/discoveries of each of the following people…
a. Aristotle/Ptolemy – Geocentric Theory
b. Copernicus – Heliocentric Theory
c. Kepler – planets move in elliptical orbits
d. Galileo – universe is changing, heavenly bodies are not perfect; telescope
e. Newton – law of Gravity; knighted by the King and Queen of England for his findings
f.
Descartes – Geometry (blend of math and philosophy) application to science
22. How did the Catholic Church react to Galileo’s discoveries?
 Threatened him with excommunication, made him recant his findings, and placed him under house
arrest after he recanted
23. What was the medieval view of the human body (before the Scientific Revolution)?
 Dissection is a sin, the human body is governed by spirits, the heart turns food into blood; same
anatomy as a pig
24. Describe the major theories/discoveries of each of the following people…
a. Vesalius – human anatomy is fundamentally different from animal anatomy (refutes Galen’s pig
theories)
b. Harvey – the human heart recirculated the same blood