Renaissance & Reformation Unit

Renaissance writers that wanted religious reforms.

Friar that challenged the rule of the Medici family in Florence.

He pushed for a Christian commonwealth with God’s gospel as the law.

He was hanged and burned at the stake in 1498.

Author of The Praise of Folly (1509)

He poked fun at greedy merchants, lovers, scholars, and the church leaders.

He exposed the abuses of the Church, and did more than any other single person to advance the Revival of Learning.

The merchants are the biggest fool of all. They carry on the most sordid business and by the most corrupt methods. Whenever it is necessary, they will lie, perjure themselves, steal, cheat, and mislead the public.

Next to the theologians in happiness are those who commonly call themselves the religious and monks. Both are complete misnomers, since most of them stay as far away from religion as possible, and no people are seen more often in public. They are so detested that it is considered bad luck if one crosses your path, and yet they are highly pleased with themselves. They cannot read, and so they consider it the height of piety to have no contact with literature.... Most of them capitalize on their dirt and poverty by whining for food from door to door. . . .

He was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, and noted Renaissance humanist.

He published Utopia in 1516.

Silver and gold get no more respect from anyone than their intrinsic value deserves-which is far less than that of iron…According to this system, plates and drinking vessels, though beautifully designed, are made of cheap stuff like glass or earthenware. But silver and gold are the normal materials…for the humblest items of household equipment, such as chamber-pots. They also use chains of gold to immobilize slaves. And anyone who commits a really shameful crime is forced to go about with gold rings on his ears and fingers, a gold necklace around his neck, and a crown of gold on his head…

It’s much the same with jewels…If they happen to come across one, they pick it up and polish it for some toddler to wear. At first, children are terribly proud of such jewelry – until they are old enough to notice that it’s only worn in the nursery. Then…they give it up.