The Renaissance
Chris Anderson
Randolph-Henry High School
The Renaissance
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The Renaissance lasted from 1350 until
1600
Western Europe experienced a cultural
awakening
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Europe was moving from the Middle Ages into
the Modern Era
People began to develop new ideas about the
world around them
The Italian Renaissance
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The Renaissance began in Florence,
Italy
Italy was in an ideal location to be the
birthplace of the Renaissance
– Close to the old Byzantine Empire
– Center of trade in the Mediterranean
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Italian scholars began to take lots of
interest in the classical writing of the
Greeks and Romans
This increased interest in the classics
is called humanism
Humanists studied Greek and Latin
works, old manuscripts, and even tried
to copy the old works
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Humanists began to admire much of
the ancient Greek and Roman Culture
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Humanists adopted many Roman and
Greek beliefs
1.) seeking fulfillment in daily life
2.) all people have dignity and worth
3.) the ideal person—one who can do
almost anything (the Renaissance
Man)
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Humanists began opening schools to
introduce the classics to people
The humanist schools taught 4
subjects:
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1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
History
Philosophy
Latin
Greek
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Humanism brought about new types of
writing—moving away from religion
People wrote about daily life and
feelings
Petrarch—introduced the Sonnet
– A new way to express ideas in poetry
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Machiavelli—wrote The Prince
The Prince was a book about Italian
government
Machiavelli supported the idea of
absolute power
In order to keep power, a ruler must do
some evil
Petrarch
Machiavelli
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The Humanists began to challenge
many long held beliefs
Humanists also began to question the
Catholic Church
Italian City Life
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Feudalism was easily thrown away in
Italy
Most Italian cities were wealthy and
self-controlling
Italian City Life
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A new social order was created in the Italian
city-states because money and wealth
were more important than land
ownership
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
Wealthy Merchants and bankers
Middle Class (artisans and shopkeepers)
Lower Class (poor workers)
Peasants--farmers
Italian City Life
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Italy was NOT a unified nation during
the Renaissance
Each city-state was independent of the
others
Frequently, the peasants would revolt
against the wealthy rulers—usually,
unsuccessfully
Italian City Life
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1400s—social unrest was so bad that
many city-states turned power over to
a single leader, hoping to restore
peace
– The leaders were called the Signori
– Signori were like dictators—they used
threats and violence to keep peace
Italian City Life
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City-states also fought with each other
over the control of land
City-states would hire soldiers to fight
The richer city-states would have the
most and best soldiers
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There are three (3) important citystates that played major roles in the
Italian Renaissance
– 1.) Florence
– 2.) Rome
– 3.) Venice
Florence, Italy
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The Renaissance began in Florence,
Italy
Florence was ruled by the Medici
family in the 1400s
The Medici’s allowed the ideas of
humanism to spread through Florence
Florence, Italy
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The 1st Medici to rule Florence—
Cosimo de Medici
Florence, Italy
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Cosimo placed a heavy tax on the
people of Florence
Cosimo used the money to make
improvement to the city
Florence, Italy
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Lorenzo de Medici ruled Florence after
his grandfather, Cosimo, died
Lorenzo ruled from 1469 until
1492
Florence, Italy
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Lorenzo kept his grandfather’s heavy
tax
Lorenzo used the money to patron
artists and writers
Florence, Italy
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The Medici’s were forced to hand
power over to Savonarola because
Florence had lost control over
Europe’s cloth trade
Florence, Italy
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Savonarola criticized the many vices
in Florence
– Gambling, parties, paintings, swearing,
etc.
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He also criticized the Catholic Church
Rome, Italy
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The Renaissance moved to Rome in the
early 1500s
The Pope controlled Rome
The different Popes rebuilt the city
The Popes commissioned many different
artists to decorate the palaces and
churches
Rome, Italy
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St. Peter’s Basilica was built during
this time
Rome, Italy
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Renaissance Pope’s became very
corrupt, caring more about money and
politics than spiritual matters
The Popes wasted money on luxuries
Many Europeans began to question
the Church
Venice, Italy
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City located over hundreds of small
islands
Venice had a monopoly over the trade
with Asia—made Venice $$$$$$
Venice was the wealthiest Italian citystate in the Late Renaissance
Venice, Italy
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Venice had a republican form of
government, headed by a Doge
The Doge controlled the day-to-day
activities of the city
Artistic Achievements
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Renaissance art was lifelike and captivating
Most art was still centered around religion
Artists began to experiment with new
techniques
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Perspective
Studied anatomy
Used gestures and expresions
Artistic Achievements
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Architecture
Filippo Brunelleschi built the dome
above the Cathedral of Florence
Brunelleschi’s
Dome
Artistic Achievements
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Painting and Sculpture
Early Renaissance sculptors copied the
classical works
Statues were realistic
Renaissance painters used new techniques
to create realistic images in their works
Artistic Achievements
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Painting and Sculpture
Michelangelo was a painter and
sculptor
Sculpted David and La Pieta
Painted the ceiling of the Sistine
Chapel
Artistic Achievements
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Painting and Sculpture
Donatello was a sculptor
He was the 1st to use bronze since
ancient times
Artistic Achievements
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Painting and Sculpture
Leonardo da Vinci was an artists as
well as writer, scientist, inventor, etc.
His famous works are the Mona Lisa
and the Last Supper
Northern Renaissance
 By
the late 1400s, the Renaissance had
moved to the Northern areas of Europe
 Renaissance ideas spread through contact
and by the printing press
Northern Renaissance
 1494—the
French invaded Italy
 The French King became very interested
in what he saw
 The King decided to bring a “piece” of the
Renaissance back to France
 He brought with him Leonardo da Vinci
back to France
 Other European kings wanted a piece of
the Renaissance
Northern Renaissance
 1440—Johannes
Gutenberg developed
moveable metal type for the printing press
 This innovation allowed for more books to
be printed
Gutenberg Bible
Northern Renaissance
 French
Renaissance
 Chateaux—castles built with a mixture of
Gothic and classical style
 French writers wrote sonnets, satires,
comic tales, and parodies
Northern Renaissance
 Germany
and the Low Countries
 German and Dutch began to replace Latin
in writing
 Lots of books were printed
 Art took on a very religious tone
 Humanism and Christianity were blended
together—Christian Humanists
Northern Renaissance
 Germany
and the Low Countries
 Christian Humanists wanted to Church to
be more like the original Church
 Most famous Christian humanist—
Desiderius Erasmus
 Erasmus believed his colleagues should
be able to read Greek and Hebrew so they
could read the original version of the Bible
Erasmus
Northern Renaissance
 Germany
and the Low Countries
 2 Flemish brothers changed the way
painting was done—Jan and Hubert van
Eyck
 They were the 1st to use oil paints
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Allowed for brighter colors
Easy to make changes
Northern Renaissance
 Germany
and the Low Countries
 Albrecht Durer was another artist known
for his Renaissance works
 He created painting and wood cuts
Northern Renaissance
 English
Renaissance
 1485—The War of the Roses is over in
England and the Renaissance comes to
England
 The English Renaissance was known for
its writers
Northern Renaissance
 English
Renaissance
 Sir Thomas More was a very famous
English Humanist
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He criticized English society in his Book
Utopia
Sir Thomas More
Northern Renaissance
 English
Renaissance
 William Shakespeare is probably the
most famous English Renaissance writer
 He wrote plays, sonnets, and essays
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Romeo and Juliet, MacBeth, Hamlet, Julius
Caesar, Richard III, Henry V, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, Othello, etc.
William Shakespeare