Renaissance
What was the Renaissance?
Renaissance means rebirth and Europe was recovering from the dark Middle Ages and the Plague.
Human beings and their conditions Education, art, literature, and science Approximately 1300 - 1600
The Renaissance started in Italy where wealth from trade supported art learning.
Here also modern capitalism was born. Private individuals or companies, not the government, owned businesses. The main goal is profit.
Where did the Renaissance begin? Why?
What is Humanism?a system of thought and action concerned with human
interests and values, was the main movement of the Renaissance.
Human beings have dignity and intelligence.
They (we) can change the world and make it a better place for all.
The ideal so-called Renaissance man was successful in business, well-mannered, educated, athletic, and brave.
The goal of education became making people well-rounded.
Religion remained important, but the authority and some practices of the church began to be questioned.
VIP’s of the Renaissance
Johannes Gutenberg
History of Us
The “Gutenberg” Bible
The Gutenberg Bible, named for the craftsman and inventor of printing by use of moveable type, Johannes Gutenberg, was completed in 1455 at Mainz, Germany.
The three-volume Latin text arguably represents the greatest single innovation in the history of communication technology, as well as a style of printing that existed almost unaltered until the twentieth century.
Gutenberg’s invention and the spreading of relatively cheap printed materials created enormous change—social, political, economic, and religious.
Writing Prompt
Respond to the following prompt in at least 5-7 complete sentences.
Prompt: How is the Internet similar to the printing press? How are they different? Which one do you think is more important?
VIP’s Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), in The Prince
(1513) said, basically, one must do whatever one must do to get and stay in power. If it works, it is the "right" thing to do. Forget ideals; lie, cheat, even murder if you must. A stable state is needed.
Better for a ruler to be feared than to be loved Ruler should be quick and decisive in decision making
Ruler keeps power by any means necessary The end justifies the means
Be good when possible, and evil when necessary
Excerpt from The Prince “You must know there are two methods of fighting, the one by
law, the other by force; the first method is of men, the second of beasts; but because the first is frequently not enough, one must have resort to the second. Therefore it is necessary for a prince to understand how to use the methods of the beast and the man . . .
A prince . . . ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against traps and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the traps and a lion to terrify the wolves. Those who rely simply on the lion do not understand this.”
-- Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince (1513)
Discussion Questions
1. A prince “should not stray from what is good if he can avoid it, but he should be ready and able to do evil when it is necessary.” Do you agree
with this? Why or why not?2. Why does Machiavelli believe that it
is justifiable for a prince to break his word? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
Tupac (Makaveli) vs. Machiavelli?
When Tupac went to prison he studied Machiavelli’s work and also read The Prince.
He then changed his name to “Makaveli”.
Tupac and Machiavelli had a lot of enemies so 2Pac could relate to him in numerous ways.
Machiavelli was an Italian war strategist and philosopher who wrote about faking his death to fool his enemies.
When Tupac changed his name to “Makaveli” and then passed away, many believe that he faked or staged his own death
VIP’S: The Medici Family
The Medici are most famous for their patronage of the arts
A major amount of the art and architecture that was produced at the beginning of the Renaissance was due to the Medici.
They also supported science. They supported the famous scientist Galileo Galilei in his scientific efforts
The Medici owed much of their wealth and power to the Medici Bank. It made them one of the richest families in all of Europe.
The Medici Family produced four popes in total.
The Medici Family is sometimes called the Godfathers of the Renaissance
Galileo GalileiOccupation: Scientist, mathematician, and Astronomer Best known for: Improving the telescope to be used to study the planets and stars
Occupation: Copernicus was an astronomer who lived in the early 1500s
Copernicus
Best known for: He came up with the idea that the Sun was the center of the universe. This was very different from the current belief that the Earth was the center
brainpop
VIP’S
The Renaissance produced new ideas that were reflected in the arts, philosophy, and literature.
Patrons, wealthy people, sponsored works which glorified Italy. Education became increasingly secular.
Medieval art and literature focused on the Church and salvation
Renaissance art and literature focused on individuals and worldly matters,
along with Christianity.
VIP’sLeonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) painted (Mona Lisa), studied geology, chemistry and anatomy, designed buildings, canals and weapons, and sketched engines and flying machines.
VIP’sMichelangelo (1475-1564) painted (the Sistine Chapel
ceiling), sculptured (David), designed buildings, and wrote poetry.
VIP’s William Shakespeare wrote plays showing humans as in God's image, but part of this world as well.
Shakespeare’s Works
“To be or not to be….” Hamlet
Romeo and Juliet
