The Black Death, The Italian &
Northern Renaissance
-Key Concepts-
Key questions
There are 3 questions that will be asked
during the course of the lesson;
1. What is the “Black Death”?
2. What were the consequences?
3. How did it lead to the
Renaissance?
The Plague Arrives
1. Possibly took two forms – Bubonic Plague,
spread by fleas/rats, or Pneumonic plague spread
through germ contact
2. Started near the Black Sea and by 1351, almost
all of Europe was infected
3. Historians estimate that nearly 25 million people
died (1/3 of world population)
What were the symptoms of the
plague?
Economic Impact of the Black
Death
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Financial business disrupted as debtors died,
creditors found themselves without a way to
get their money back
Construction projects stopped, no labor force
Whole families died, with no heirs, their
houses: empty
Cultural Impact – What Else?
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Education/culture suffered as universities and
schools were closed or even abandoned.
QUOTE (DO NOT WRITE) - "During this great
epidemic of death [in Tuscany] more than
eighty died of every hundred, and the air was
so infested that death overtook men
everywhere, wherever they might flee. And
when they saw everybody dying they no longer
heeded death and believed that the end of the
world was at hand.”
Discussion Question: What words in the text
illustrate the seriousness of the Black Death?
Black DeathRenaissance?
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Significant loss of life leads to some changes in
the late 1300s
Decreased population allowed farmers to grow
more food
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Food prices decline, people can spend $ on other
things
Areas in Europe begin to specialize in products
best suited for their environment
Forces regions to trade for the products they
did not produce
A Writing Task
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"The Triumph of Death”, by Pieter Bruegel reflects the social upheaval and terror that
followed the plague that devastated medieval Europe.
With a partner, compose a short paragraph summary on the events in this painting. Use
specific scenes from this image to construct your writing.
The Renaissance
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Means “Rebirth”
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Rebirth of what?
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Culture, Art, Science, Ideas & Learning
Inspired by ancient Greek/Roman culture
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Grammar, poetry, history – The “Humanities”
Center of the Renaissance - Italy
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Present-Day Italy divided into large city-states
(see p. 436)
City-states became centers of business/trade
with access throughout Europe/Middle East
Catholic Church, Merchants and Artisans were
the upper class and dominated society
Knowledge of the arts was a way to display
one’s wealth
Humanism
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Movement inspired by Roman/Greek Culture
Went against church teaching, stressed
individuality and human achievement
Giovanni Boccaccio/Francesco Petrarch
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Humanist authors that decided to write in everyday
language, not Latin
Secular Writers
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Catholic Church no longer served as a source of
stability/peace
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Focus was SECULAR or worldly vs. traditional
religious ideas
Idea of “Renaissance Man”
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Educated, person of action, can respond to all
situations
Art and Patronage
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Wealthy Italians willing to spend a lot of $ on
art
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Buyers of art, known as patrons, typically were the
rich, city governments, church
In city of Florence, the Medici family provided
$ to artists/intellectuals, etc.
Therefore, the consumption of art was used as a
form of competition for social & political status!
Characteristics of Renaissance Art
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Emphasis on the natural world, making as real
as possible, focus on the individual
Perspective – creating 3D objects on flat
surfaces/showing balance on both sides
Architecture/Scenes from Greek/Roman myths
very popular (public buildings, palaces, etc.)
Religious figures were shown but in a “human”
way
Renaissance Artists Research – p. 443
Artist
Raphael
Leonardo da Vinci
Bramante
Michelangelo
Buonarroti
Fields
Artistic Achievements
Wall Walk Directions
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Label the station you are located at. You do
not have to write the question.
Discuss the artwork in your small group.
Complete all questions in full and complete
sentences.
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Add details where necessary
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6 minutes at each station, do not waste time!
Reflection Questions
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Please answer in full and complete sentences
using the index card provided.
1. What difficulties do you think Michelangelo
faced as he painted the Sistine Chapel?
2. What was your biggest challenge as you
tried to recreate this scene?
3. How did this simulation show Michelangelo’s
brilliance and talent?
Reflection Questions
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Please answer in full and complete sentences
using the index card provided.
1. What difficulties do you think Michelangelo
faced as he painted the Sistine Chapel?
2. What was your biggest challenge as you
tried to recreate this scene?
3. How did this simulation show Michelangelo’s
brilliance and talent?
Northern Renaissance
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By the 1500s, ideas of the Renaissance
reaching London, Paris, Amsterdam
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Spurred by trade and movement of artists/scholars
to Italy then back north
Northern Renaissance
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Artists in N. Europe heavily influenced by
Italian
However, works reflected a more realistic view
of humanity
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E.G. Italian – Greek/Roman Gods, Northern – depict
real people as they really were
Northern artists fused the everyday with the
religious through use of symbolism
Northern Renaissance
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Jigsaw Activity
Small groups will be asked to compose a short summary
(4-5 bullet points) on Northern Renaissance Individuals.
You have 15 minutes to summarize your section then we
will share on the whiteboard, each group
(representative) will briefly present their findings.
Please confirm your work with me before putting on the
board.
1st step – read passage as a group, 2nd – highlight
important point, 3rd – finalize important points (5-6 of
them)
Johannes Gutenberg, Erasmus, Sir Thomas More,
William Shakespeare, Christine de Pisan, Albrecht
Durer, Jan van Eyck
Northern vs. Italian Renaissance
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Using your teammate, notebook/textbook p.
437, complete the Venn Diagram below by
comparing/contrasting the Italian and Northern
Renaissance.
Focus on the arts, writers, philosophers,
art/writing techniques & subjects
The goal is to have 7-9 items in each portion of
the diagram
You have 20 minutes, please begin!
Northern vs. Italian Renaissance
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Exit Slip Questions
1. The printing press was a significant
technological achievement that spread literacy
and ideas throughout Europe. Are there any
inventions today that have transformed society
like the printing press? Be specific and explain
how.
2. What contributions did writers and
philosophers make to the Northern
Renaissance?