Coach Grgurich
Unit 5
 The Renaissance occurred in the late Middle Ages,
beginning in the 1400s in Italy. During this time period,
Europe experienced many cultural changes and saw a
return to "classical" thought, which meant a rebirth of the
ideas and thoughts of the ancient Greeks. In fact, the word
"renaissance" itself means _________________. During this
time, there were many advances in the fields of literature,
the arts, science, mathematics, astronomy, engineering,
cartography (map-making), and medicine. Important
people from this time period include Dante Alighieri,
Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo di Buonarroti Simoni,
and ______________________.
 Art and literature were two major areas of change
during the Renaissance. The invention of the
_________________ gave people more access to
reading materials, and literacy rose as a result. During
this time, art was advanced by the use of
___________________, the invention of oil paints, and
the study of the human body. Architecture also gained
importance, through the re-use of domes and
columns. Many artists and architects were influenced
by classical styles used by the ancient Greeks and
Romans.
 Philosophy re-emerged in the society through the
development of two new ways of thinking: Humanism
and Neoplatonism. __________________ can be
described as an intellectual movement that focused on
those areas that were considered "classic," including
rhetoric, grammar, poetry, history, Latin, and Greek.
These subjects became known as the
_____________________.
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________________________ was an Italian architect, anatomist, sculptor, engineer,
inventor, musician, and painter. He was considered to be the best example of the
"Renaissance Man" due to his extraordinary achievements and diverse talents. Da Vinci
also studied the anatomy of the human body by dissecting male and female corpses of
different ages and drawing what he saw. He designed many objects ahead of his time
including the helicopter, tank, calculator. He also discovered the use of solar power. His
most famous works include Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and The Vitruvian Man.
Dante Alighieri was an Italian poet whose most famous work was The Divine Comedy.
The Divine Comedy was known as one of the greatest works of literature in the Middle
Ages. The Divine comedy was also important in establishing the modern Italian language
by increasing its use in literature.
Michelangelo di Buonarroti Simoni was an Italian artist, sculptor, architect, and poet.
His most famous work is the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which took four years to complete
(1508-1512). Other famous works are The Last Judgment, the sculpture of David, La Pietà,
and the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.
___________________________ was an Italian painter who lived in Florence. His famous
works include The Birth of Venus, Primavera, and the Adoration of the Magi.
____________________________was an Italian painter and architect. His famous works
include Madonna del Granduca, The Small Cowper Madonna, and the The Alba Madonna.
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During the Renaissance, Europe's economy was
mostly rural and agricultural, so land ownership was a
sign of social status and a source of income. Peasants,
called ____________, worked as tenant farmers, which
meant they lived and worked on the fields owned by a
landlord. This system was known as
__________________.
 Gradually, kingdoms that taxed their populations
came to replace the feudal system. This change
occurred because society was making a shift from
wealth that was derived from land ownership to wealth
derived from trading and small-scale manufacturing.
With money becoming the new sought-after wealth, it
encouraged investment, helped expand urban
economic centers, and led to the rise of middle class
merchants. Eventually, Europe's interest in wealth led
nations to free market capitalism.
 This economic shift set the foundation for the growth
of mercantilism during the Age of Exploration.
_________________________can be described as the
idea that the wealth available in the world is limited,
and one country could only get rich at the expense of
another country. Governments attempted to become
wealthy by controlling more land.
 Mathematical advancements greatly accelerated the
exploration of science and technology. Inventions such
as ________________, the printing press, and the
______________________ also furthered science.
 Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer. He developed
the theory that the sun was the center of the universe, an idea
that was considered scandalous because the prevailing view was
that the Earth was the center of the universe.
 ________________________ was an Italian physicist,
mathematician, and astronomer. He invented an accurate
telescope.
 Johannes _________________ was a German mathematician
and astronomer. He is most well-known for his discovery that the
planets move in orbits that are elliptical in shape.
 Johannes ___________________ was a German metalworker
and inventor. He invented a printing press with movable type
that allowed for faster printing.
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During the Renaissance, Italy was made up of
individual city-states ruled by wealthy families. For
example, in Florence, the Medici family ruled from
______________________. Other countries, however,
were unified into a single nation and ruled by kings or
nobility.
 Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian writer and
political philosopher who lived in Florence. His most
famous work was The Prince, in which he commented
on the political environment in Florence and argued
that a ruler should do whatever is necessary in order to
maintain control of the state.