1300-1650HTTP://

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Renaissance and Reformation

Renaissance

Began in 1300 in the Italian city-states

“Rebirth” of Europe – spirit of curiosity and adventure that developed after the Middle Ages

Began in Italy and moved into Northern Europe

Why in Italy??

1) Roman Empire began on Italian peninsula – ancient Roman culture influenced the time period

2) Trade in Italian cities made them RICH – wealthy patrons could support cultural developments

3) Italy is by the ocean - traders bring new ideas!

Three Characteristics

1) Interest in the ideas of the ancient Greeks and Romans

Education suffered after the fall of Rome – in the early 1300s, the Greek and Roman works were rediscovered causing the idea of????

HUMANISM

Poetry, philosophy, and history instead of religion!Uh oh…. The church is not going to like this…

Three Characteristics

2) Philosophers and writers began to stress the importance of life on Earth instead of a future life in heaven.

Roman Catholic Church promised a better life in heaven…

But why can’t we have a better life now??

Humanist thinking called on the educated and wealthy to take on active roles in their communities for the good of the city and state.

Important Humanists

Petrarch - one of the first humanists, famous scholar/teacher/poet, believed that classical writings should be studied and imitated

Erasmus - Dutch humanist and theologian who was the leading Renaissance scholar of northern Europe

Three Characteristics

3) Belief in individual achievement Renaissance was a time of PROGRESS

As more things improved, the belief in the ability of humans to make more changes grew!

Important People: Artists

Michelangelo - Italian Renaissance artist that painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling and sculpted the statue of David.

Leonardo Da Vinci - Italian Renaissance artist that painted The Last Supper and Mona Lisa, he was also an engineer, architect, sculptor, and scientist.

Raphael - Italian Renaissance painter; he painted frescos, his most famous being The School of Athens.

Sistine Chapel

Sistine Chapel

David

Mona Lisa

The Last Supper

Important People: Writers

Dante – The Divine ComedyGeoffrey Chaucer – Canterbury Tales Shakespeare –Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and

Juliet

The Printing Press

One of the most important inventions of the time period

Johann Gutenberg – printed the first book in Europe – Copy of the Bible

Books became more affordable and availableSpread IDEAS – Protestant teachings and the

vernacular language of the ordinary people

Society

Lots of changes:Towns and cities were growing Serfdom of the Middle Ages was ending -- farmers

were moving to urban centersMiddle class emerging – merchants and craft workersFamily organization – households with father, mother,

and children (instead of manors with extended family)Girls were taught to read because the Bible was

important to Protestantism… but they still had to bear and raise children while obeying their husbands

Nicolaus Copernicus

Came up with a radical way of looking at the Universe:

heliocentric system - put the Sun (helio) at the center of our system

not the first to have this theory, but brought it to the world of the Renaissance

Also believed that the Earth rotates on its axis

Galileo Galilei

Born in Pisa, Italy approximately 100 years after Copernicus

devised a telescope that could enlarge objects up to 20 times.

used this telescope to prove the truth of the Copernican system of heliocentrism.

He published his observations which went against the established teaching of the Church. He was brought to trial and, although he made a confession of wrong-doing, he was still imprisoned for life.

Reformation

Began as a way to protest against and reform practices of the Roman Catholic Church

Key figure: Martin Luther – Roman Catholic monk and professor who was disturbed by certain teachings of the church

Luther’s Problems with the Church

Indulgences – payment to the church to free people of all punishment for sins

Teachings: to get into heaven you need to believe in God and do good works

Unnecessary positions in the church such as the pope and bishops (the Bible is the only source of God’s word)

So what did he do about it?

95 Theses – 1517Luther put together a list of arguments

against the church and nailed it to the front door of a church in Wittenburg, Germany

This signaled the beginning of the Protestant Reformation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFqWnEpZvjs

Luther’s Teachings

By 1520 Luther was calling for princes in Germany to break with the Roman church.

He urged them to begin NEW churches based on 2 teachings:

1) Faith in God alone is needed for salvation2) The Bible is the only source of God’s word

Effects

1521 – pope excommunicated Martin Luther (he was no longer a Roman Catholic)

Luther continued to spread his ideas and attract followers… his ideas were known as Lutheranism

Effects (Political)

Rulers=less concerned with Religion and more concerned with personal power… really wanted to overthrow the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V

German princes saw Reformation as an opportunity to break away from pope’s power over them… led to a series of wars between Lutheran princes and Catholic princes fighting

Charles V and his allies were not strong enough to defeat the Lutherans – led to the Peace of Augsberg

Peace of Augsberg – allowed princes to choose the religion they and their subjects would follow… what’s wrong with this picture??

Effects (Religious)

John Calvin – founder of CalvanismCalvinism – basically same as Luther’s idea

with a twistTwist = predestination: God determines who

will be saved and who will be destined for hell… YIKES!

John Calvin organized a theocracy – a government run by religious leaders

Big ideas: morality, hard work, honesty, thrift (not living in excess)

** Calvinism had greater influence on Europe than Lutheranism