THE RENAISSANCE
1500-1660
A time in history remembered for
enormous growth in art, literature,
music, architecture, Science,
exploration and technology.
• The Renaissance was a time of renewal
• Renaissance means rebirth, and Europe
was recovering from the Dark ages and
the plague.
• People had lost their faith in the church
and began to put more focus on human
beings.
Where did it take place?
•Begun in Italy
• Spread
throughout Europe
• Came late to
England and
blossomed
During the
Elizabethan Era
Renaissance Art
• The Renaissance produced new ideas that were reflected in
the arts, philosophy, and literature.
• Patrons, wealthy from newly expanded trade, sponsored
works which glorified city-states in northern Italy.
Medieval art and literature focused on the
Church and salvation
Renaissance art and literature
focused on individuals and worldly
matters, along with Christianity
Famous Artists
Born in 1475 in a small town near Florence,
is considered to be a genius in regards to art
and sculpture.
Sistine Chapel
Pope Julius II summoned
Michelangelo to Rome to work on
his most famous project, the
ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
1452-1519
Painter, Sculptor, Architect, Engineer,
mathematician, and inventor.
Leonardo da Vinci’s also studied science and engineering. A
journal left to friends after his death revealed diagrams and
notes—later considered the inspiration for modern science and
technology.
• Literature flourished during the Renaissance
• This can be greatly attributed to Johannes Gutenberg
• In 1455 Gutenberg printed the first book produced by using
moveable type:
The Bible
Renaissance Literature and Drama
• Shakespeare wrote 37 play categorized as
comedies, tragedies and histories.
• Christopher Marlowe was an English
dramatist and poet.
• Dante the greatest of Italian poets
• Renaissance theatre derived from medieval
theatre, such as mystery plays that formed a
part of religious festivals in England and was a
favorite past time of the period.
Other Renaissance Topics
• Society: The daily
lives of men and
women.
• Entertainment and
Celebrations
• Leadership of Italy
and England
• Law and
order/Crime and
Punishment
• Scientists
• Maritime power
• Astrology/astronom
y and magic
• Common illnesses
and treatments
• Sports and
competition
Renaissance Inventions
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Clocks
The Musket
Flush Toilet
Adding Machine
Submarine
Eye glasses
Printing
Exploration and Explorers
• Francis Drake: famous for
• Modern replica of Drakes
leading first English
Golden Hind
circumnavigation of the
world.
• Sir Walter Raleigh: sent
several expeditions to
America, spent a fortune
trying to establish an
English colony there
• Martine Frosbisher:
English seaman made 3
voyages to the New World.
Astrology, Astronomy and Magic
• Astrology,
astronomy and
magic were
thought to be
powerful forces in
the Renaissance
era. Many people
believed that the
cosmos ruled the
earth and that fate
was written in the
stars.
• Nostradamus: a
prophet (seer
of the future)
known for his
work The
Prophecies a
collection of
major, longterm
predictions
written in
verse.
Crime and Punishment
• The Renaissance was a
gory time for the
punishment of crime.
• Punishments were
brutal and cruel and
ranged from having
body parts lopped off to
being stretched out on
“the rack.”
• The following are list of
common crimes:
• High Treason
• Blasphemy
• troublemaking
• Spying
• Rebellion
• Witchcraft
• Alchemy
Common Illness and Treatment
• The Bubonic Plague also
known as The Black
Death: one of the
deadliest pandemics in
history
• killed 30% – 60% of
Europe's population in
1400.
• creating a series of
religious, social and
economic upheavals
which had profound
effects on Europe
Sports and competition
• Fox hunting
• Jousting
Contest
• Archery
• Bear Baiting