Unit 1 Study Guide
The Renaissance, Reformation and
Scientific Revolution
Study Guide
1a. What was the Renaissance?
• Description and Meaning:
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Critical rebirth of Greek and roman ideals
era of creativity change and innovation
Artists and scholars produced great work
Age of examination and exploration
• Significance and Impact:
– Great art was produced, era of humanism, expression,
individuality.
– Explored many areas they couldn’t before
1b. Why did the Renaissance start in
Italy?
Geography:
• peninsular nation-trade
• Roman ruins-near byzantine
• Central Europe
• Were church was centered
Economy:
• Trade
• Church gave money to artisans
• Rich people gave money to artisans
Society:
• People were becoming individuals and wanted to live life to the fullest
Government: lots of money
2a. What was humanism?
• Definition:
– Interest in the ancient world and renewed interest
in learning and education
• The humanities:
– Examples: languages, math, history, etc. (the
subjects you take)
• Impact/ effect:
– Renewed interest in logical thinking, art, and
religion
2b. How did the art and literature of
the time reflect humanist thought?
• Examples of individualism:
– Portraits (the Mona Lisa – by da Vinci)
• Secularism:
– Art that focuses on worldly matters (Bruegel’s landscapes
of peasant life)
• Idealism:
– An ideal society (Utopia by Sir Thomas Moore)
• Realism:
– Detailed Paintings that portray how things really look
(Rabbit – by Durer)
• Skepticism:
– Questioning Authority/ Tradition (Copernicus is skeptical
about geocentric universe)
*3a. How did the Renaissance Expand
North?
Economic reasons:
• The printing revolution led more people to read,
and more books were sold.
Influence of artists:
• Many art styles emerged; portraits, different
color usage, and realism in art.
Impact of New Technology:
Ideas spread because the printing press
3b. Compare and Contrast Northern
and Italian Renaissances
Similarities in art and literature
• Individualism:
– Artists in both Italy and
Northern Europe embrace
expressions of individualism
• EX: Portraits
• Paintings that focus on
individual expressions
• Realism :
– Artists in both embrace
realism in their work
• EX: The rabbit and The David
Differences in humanism
• Secularism:(worldly matters)
– Italy: becomes more secular as
Catholic church becomes more
concerned with political power,
etc.
– Northern: Martin Luther and
Protestant Reformation focus on
religion
• Skepticism:
– Italy: Catholic church embraces
traditions and older views
– Northern: Scientific thinkers,
religious leaders all question
Catholic authority
4. What were the Reasons that led Martin Luther
to break away from the Roman Catholic Church?
• Explain the secular interests and practices of the
Roman Catholic Church in the 1500s.
- Indulgences, corruption, less education…
• What were Indulgences? What were their purpose?
– Pieces of paper that the Catholic church sold to lesson a
souls time in purgatory for sins they had committed
4. What were the Reasons that led Martin Luther to
break away from the Roman Catholic Church?
• What were the 95 Theses? How did they
spread throughout Europe?
– 95 arguments by Luther on why indulgences are
bad.
– Spread by printing press
• What were Luther’s 3 major ideals concerning
the Christian religion?
– Salvation through faith alone
– Bible source of all religious truth
– Anyone can interpret the bible (don’t need
Catholic Church)
4. What were the Reasons that led Martin Luther to
break away from the Roman Catholic Church?
• What was the Diet of Worms? What was the
result?
– Meeting where Luther is ordered by the Pope to
recant (take back) his 95 Theses….. Luther refuses
and is thrown out of the church
5. Compare and contrast the religious views of the
Roman Catholics, Martin Luther and John Calvin.
• What were the major tenets of Christianity
that all three believed and taught?
– All Christen, believe in the bible, Jesus, etc.
• How did their views differ on attaining eternal
salvation? (reaching Heaven)
– Catholics – need good works, and faith
– Luther – need JUST faith
– Calvin – Predestination (only god can determine
who goes to heaven)
• How did they view the role and interpretation
of the Bible?
– Catholics – Bible interpreted by the Church
– Luther and Calvin – Bible interpreted by ANYONE
• What differences existed in terms of the
leadership and organization of their churches?
– Catholics – One leader = Pope
– Luther and Calvin – elected council
6a. Explain the reasons behind the decision of Henry
VIII of England to start the Church of England.
• Henry VIII’s personal issues:
– His wife can no longer have any children and he
needs a male heir
• Secular and political issues:
– Without a male heir England could fall into civil
war
– Catholic church wont let him get divorced because
Henry’s wife is related to the Holy Roman Empire
and Pope needs his political support
6b. How did Henry VIII’s children handle
religious issues during their reigns?
• How did Henry’s reforms continue during the
short reign of Edward VI?
– Edward VERY protestant
• Suppress all catholic teaching/ beliefs
• What happened to Protestantism during the
rule of Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary)?
– Mary VERY Catholic
• Brings back Catholicism
6b. How did Henry VIII’s children handle
religious issues during their reigns?
• What decisions did Elizabeth I make
concerning the religion of England?
– Elizabeth Protestant but chooses a middle road
and allows some Catholic rituals to remain in
Protestant country
7a. What was the Catholic
Reformation?
• What were the purpose and goals of the
Catholic Reformation in the mid-1500s?
– Religious upheaval that sought to reform the
church
7b. In what ways did it respond to
Protestant ideas?
• What was the role of the Council of Trent?
– To help direct the way people should take the
reform; To make and start the reformation.
• Who were the Jesuits? What were their
responsiblities?
– The Jesuits were missionary soldiers
– The spread the catholic faith and protected it.
7b. In what ways did it respond to
Protestant ideas?
• What was the Inquisition? What was the
Index of Forbidden Books?
– The Inquisition was a church council
– This court used torture, secret testimony and
execution to rid of heresy
– The Index of Forbidden Books was a list of works
that was against the catholic faith.