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TheRenaissance"YouNeedaRenaissance"

Learnmoreaboutthistopic!Eachsectiongivesmoredetailononeofthelyricsfromthesong.Readeachsection,andthenrespondbyansweringthequestionortakingnotesonkeyideas.

Lyric:IntroLyric:Intro

TheRenaissancetookplaceinEuropeinthe14thand15thcenturies.Historiansconsideritarenaissance,orrebirth,becauseitwasatimeperiodofunprecedentedgrowthintheartsandsciences,likearevivalofthehighcultureoftheGreeksandRomans.ThisexplosionofculturaldevelopmentfollowedwhathadbeenaratherdarkperiodduringtheMiddleAges.ThiswasthetimeofShakespeare'splays,Galileo'sexperiments,Michelangelo'spaintings,andMartinLuther'snewchurch.Alotwasgoingon.

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Lyric:There'ssolittleartintheDarkAge,Lyric:There'ssolittleartintheDarkAge,

Burialofplaguevictims

PartoftheimpetusfortheRenaissancewastheBlackDeath,orbubonicplague,whichkilledmillionsofEuropeans.Thishadonepositiveeffect-itleftmoreintermsoffood,resources,andwealthforthosewhosurvived.Thisbountyhelpedusherinaneconomicboom.Traderebounded,alargemiddleclassgrew,governmentsreorganizedandlifewas

generallymorestableandprosperous.Andallofthisactivityencouragedartistsandthinkerstodotheirthing.

Notes

Lyric:Let'sgetclassical, takeitbacktoGreeks,Lyric:Let'sgetclassical, takeitbacktoGreeks,

Thewordrenaissancemeans"rebirth,"andwhatwasrebornwastheartisticandphilosophicalachievementsofancientGreeceandRome.AnewbreedofmostlyItalianartistswereextremelyinterestedinthesculpture,paintings,architectureandphilosophyoftheancientGreeksandRomanswho,theythought,haddonethingsreallywell.

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NameName DateDate

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Lyric:smarternow;we'repractically geeks.Lyric:smarternow;we'repractically geeks.

JohannGutenberg'sinventionhadahugeimpact

ThesenewthinkerswentnutsforGreekandRomanwriting.Theyreadit,copiedandtranslateditandwroteresponses.Mostofthemwrotewithpens,whichtheyhadtodipintoinkeveryfewseconds.ButinGermany,amannamedJohannGutenberg(1398-1468)soonchangedtheworldwithhisinvention—amovable-typeprintingpress.Thatis,letterscouldberearrangedsothatmultiplebooks

couldbeprintedonthesamemachine.Thisforeverchangedtheworldofliterature,creatinganexplosionofbooks.

PriortoGutenberg'spress,therewerefewcopiesoftitlesbecauseitwasdifficulttomakethem.Withmovabletype,bookscouldbeprintedoneaftertheother.Scientistscouldnowsharetheirworkeasily,forexample,andpricelessoldtextscouldbepreservedforthefuture.PlaywrightslikeShakespearecouldexposetheirmasterpiecestowideaudiences.AlloftheideasbubblingaboutduringtheRenaissancecouldbegivenwidedistribution.Itwascertainlyrevolutionary.

Notes

Lyric:Medicifamilywill payyoumaddoubloons,Lyric:Medicifamilywill payyoumaddoubloons,

CosimodeMediciwasafamouspatronofthearts

Greatartbasicallytakestwothings:amazingartistsandpeoplewillingtopaytheartists(sotheydon'thavetospendalltheirtimefarmingorfixingtoiletsorwhatever).Luckyforus,theItalianRenaissancehadboth.

Inthe1300s,Italywasalandofcity-states.PlaceslikeMilan,VeniceandFlorencewereimportantcentersoftradeandcommerce.No

singlemonarchyruledinItaly,sopowerfulfamilieswereabletocontrolregions.ThiswaswhathappenedinFlorence,wheretheMedicifamilycametopower.First,CosimodeMedicitookoverthegovernmentofthecity;thenhissonLorenzofollowedhisfather'sfootsteps.Florence,whichhadbeenpromotedasacenterofintellectualactivityunderpreviousrulers,attractedmanygreatminds.TheMedicifamilycontinuedtoencourageartistsandthinkers,andtheybecamegreatpatronsofculture—they'dpaytopdollartothebestartists.

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Lyric:Soweaddperspective,paintin3-D,Lyric:Soweaddperspective,paintin3-D,

Raphael'sTheBetrothaloftheVirgin

OneofthemostimpressiveinnovationsofRenaissancepainterswasthinkingaboutthreedimensions.Tomaketheirpaintingsmorelifelike,artistslikeLeonardodaVincistudiedhowthingsinthebackgroundlooksmaller.Theeffectwasincredible:GiantcanvasesormuralsshowedGreekgodsmovingamongcrumblingruinswithshipsin

thedistance;vividportraitsdepictedchildrenplayinginthebackground.Theselittletouchesaddedalot.

Notes

Lyric:RaphaelLyric:Raphael

TheSchoolofAthensfeaturesthegreatthreephilosophers:Socrates,PlatoandAristotle

ForRaphaelSanzio(1483-1520),talentwasintheblood.Thepainter'sfatherwasalsoanartist,andRaphaellearneda

lotaboutshadeandlight,depthandperspectivefromhimandothers.Bythetimehewas21hehadpaintedhisfirstmasterpiece,TheMarriageoftheVirgin.Whenhewasreadytoheadoutonhisown,Raphaelwentwheretheactionwas—Florence,wherehemetMichelangelo,Leonardo,andothers,andstudiedtheirtechniques.HewascommissionedbytheVaticantodoaseriesofpaintings.Oneofthese,TheSchoolofAthens,isprobablyhismostfamouswork.

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Lyric:MichelangeloLyric:Michelangelo

Michelangelowasanaccomplishedpainterandsculptor

OneofthebeneficiariesoftheMediciswasasculptornamedMichelangeloBuonarroti(1475-1564).MichelangelowasfriendlywithLorenzodeMediciandstudiedsculptureathishome.

TheyoungartistwouldtakewhathelearnedandturnitintomasterworkslikeDavidandthePieta,piecesthatremainamongthemostfamoussculpturesofalltime.Notlongaftercompletingthem,MichelangelowashiredtopaintfrescoesontheceilingoftheSistineChapelinRome.

Notes

Lyric:LeonardodaVinciLyric:LeonardodaVinci

TheMonaLisaisondisplayattheLouvreMuseuminParis,France.

Whenweusetheterm"RenaissanceMan,"we'redescribingsomeonelikeLeonardodaVinci(1452-1519).Notjustbecausehelivedduringthistimeperiod,butbecausehewasgreatatmanythings.MostfamousastheartistwhopaintedtheMonaLisa,Leonardowasgoodatmosteverythinghedid.Hewasascientist,aninventor-dudecouldevensing!Hepaintedandworkedonallkindsof

scholarlystudies,fromgeometrytoflyingmachinestoarchitecture.Buthewasstillabletocomeupwithsomeoftheworld'smostfamouspaintings,includingTheLastSupperandtheMonaLisa.Unquestionably,themanwasagenius.

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Lyric:DonatelloLyric:Donatello

Donatello'sDavid

LikeMichelangelo,Donatello(1386-1466)wasasculptor.Hewasoneofthegreatestofalltime,andhemadehisearlymarkinFlorence,wherehewasborninthecity.AndlikeMichelangelo,oneofhismostfamouspieceswasasculpturecalledDavid-itwasthefirstnudesculpturetobedoneintheRenaissance.DonatellodidworkfortheMedicifamily,andhisart-whichincludedothermasterpieceslikeSt.GeorgeandtheDragon,St.

Mark,St.PeterandSt.JohntheEvangelist-playedwithclassicalGreekandRomanthemesaswellasChristianones.

Notes

Lyric:Doyoubelieveinmagiclikepeopleusedto?Lyric:Doyoubelieveinmagiclikepeopleusedto?

Peoplebelievedtobewitcheswereburnedatthestake.

TheMiddleAgesinEuropewasasuperstitioustime.Fewwereeducatedexceptformembersoftheclergy(priests

andmonks).Tomostpeople,Godworkedinmysteriousways,andifitwasn'tGod,itmightbeafairy,demonorwitchthatmadeyourbrotheractsostrangely.Ifatownsuspectedacertainwomanwasawitch,theymighttakeherfromherhouse,tiehertoastake,andburnher.

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Lyric:getsick,andyouthinkGodhatesyou.Lyric:getsick,andyouthinkGodhatesyou.

SealfortheTribunaloftheHolyOfficeoftheInquisition

TheSpanishInquisitionwasadarkspotduringtheglorydaysoftheRenaissance.FerdinandandIsabella,monarchsofSpain,wantedtousereligiontounitetheKingdomofSpainundertheirrule.Ithadpreviouslybeendividedupbydifferingreligiousfactions—Catholics,Protestants,JewsandMuslims.FerdinandandIsabellathoughttheycouldunitethenationif

everyonewereCatholic.

Soin1478theybasicallytoldthosewhodidn'tsharetheirbeliefs—theso-called"heretics"—toleave.Iftheydidn'tleave,membersoftheInquisitionwouldarrest,tortureandkillthem.Thousandswereexecuted.Foryears,theInquisitiontriedtostomppeopleoutsimplybecausetheyweredifferent.

Notes

Lyric:Ifyouwantmetobelieve,youbettershowmeLyric:Ifyouwantmetobelieve,youbettershowmeproof."proof."

TheRoyalSocietywasthefirstscientificsocietyintheworld.

AnamazingrevolutionoccuredalongsidetheartisticchangesoftheRenaissance.MostpeoplecallittheScientificRevolution,butyoucouldcallitthe"why

revolution."Justlikeanannoyingthree-year-old,scientistsbeganasking"Why?"toeverything.Theskyisblue.Why?Somestarsdon'tmovestraightacrossthesky;theymakecircles.Why?Thesescientistsrealizedthatjustbecausetheirmomsanddadstoldthemsomethingwastruedidn'tmeanactuallyitwas.Theywantedtoobservethetruth.

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Lyric:ThiswastheScientificRevolution,Lyric:ThiswastheScientificRevolution,

Bacon'sscientificmethodisstillusedtoday.

ThankstotheScientificRevolution,weprovethingsaseithertrueorfalse.Buthowdowegoaboutprovingsomething?Tohelppeople,FrancisBacon(1561-1626)cameupwithwhatisknownasthescientificmethod,theideathatascientificprojectshouldbeginbyobservingorexploringanideaorphenomenon.Thenthescientistshouldmakehisorhertheoryabouthowsomethingworks

—calledthehypothesis.Afterthat,thetheoryshouldbetested.Thisisstillthewayscientistsapproachtheirworktoday.

Notes

Lyric:youlikethemapples?LikeIsaacNewton.Lyric:youlikethemapples?LikeIsaacNewton.

Newtonbuiltupontheideasofotherscientists.

ThereisapopularmyththatIsaacNewtonwaschillingunderanappletreewhenanapplefellonhisheadandthismadehim"discover"gravity.Erasethatimagefromyourmind.Therewasnoappletreeandgravityhadalreadybeen"discovered."WhatNewtondiddiscoverwashowallobjectspulloneachother,andthathowmuchtheypulldependsontheirmass.Newton'stheoriesbeefedupthetheoriesofothergreat

scientists,includingCopernicusandGalileo.

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Lyric:Copernicusthoughtitwasthesunatcenter,Lyric:Copernicusthoughtitwasthesunatcenter,

Copernicusbelievedintheheliocentricmodelwherethesunisatthecenteroftheuniverse.

NicolausCopernicus(1473-1543)wasarealtroublemaker-accordingtotheCatholicChurch,atleast.ThegreatPolishastronomerhadthisideathattheEarthrotatedandrevolvedaroundthesun.Untilthattime,everyonebelievedthattheEarthwasthecenteroftheuniverseandthesunrotatedaroundit.Copernicus'sideasgothimallkinds

ofangrymail,andtheChurchbannedhislandmarkbook,TheRevolutionoftheHolySpheres.Scientistsnowbelievethattheuniversedoesn'tevenhaveacenter.

Notes

Lyric:Galileo'stelescopeprovedtheEarthmoved,Lyric:Galileo'stelescopeprovedtheEarthmoved,

Galileostudiedspacethroughhistelescope.

Anotherhugelyimportantscientist,GalileoGalilei(1564-1642),wasoneofthefewpeoplewhothoughtCopernicushadtherightidea.AndGalileocouldproveit.Heinventedatelescopeandlookedintospaceinawaythatnoonehadbefore.

Hewasthenabletoseewhatwasorbitingwhat.Hiscontributionstophysicswerelikewiseextraordinary.Oneofthem,stilltaughtinclassroomseverywhere,wasthattheweightofanobjectdoesn'tdeterminehowfastitfalls.

Ifyoudropaheavyitem,suchasastone,andalighteritem,likeapin,atthesametime,they'llhitthegroundsimultaneously.Hisfindingswouldchangescience.Forhiscontributions,theCatholicChurchputGalileounderhousearrestandmadehimpubliclydenywhathehadwritten.

Notes

Lyric:That'swhatCatholicsdid,sellingindulgences,Lyric:That'swhatCatholicsdid,sellingindulgences,

Thesaleofindulgenceswasbigbusiness.

ItwastimefortheCatholicChurch,suchapowerfulforceintheMiddleAges,tochange.OneofthemostunpopularpracticesoftheChurchwasthesellingofindulgences.Priestssaidthatthemoremoneyyougavethemforthese"indulgences,"thefasteryou'dgetintoheavenwhenyoudied.

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Lyric:MartinLutherwasn'tfeelingit.Lyric:MartinLutherwasn'tfeelingit.

MartinLutherchallengedtheCatholicChurch.

AGermanmonknamedMartinLutherwasoutragedbythis;tohim,itseemedtogoagainsttheteachingsofJesus.So,pipingmad,Lutherscribbled95thingshehatedabouttheChurchonapieceofpaperonenight,marcheddowntohischurch,andtackedthemtothedoor.Theyweresoonknownasthe95Theses(athesisisanargument).ThiswasHalloween,1517.Boo!

Notes

Lyric:95thesesandtacked'emup,Lyric:95thesesandtacked'emup,

LutheraddressingtheHolyRomanEmperor,CharlesVattheDietofWorms.

Lutheralsothoughtthatmass(Catholicchurchservice)shouldbeconductedinthenativetongueofthepeople,notin

Latin,whichmanypeopledidn'tunderstand.HispushforchangegavebirthtotheReformation.Hisfollowersfeltthesameway;theywantedtoprotestagainsttheChurch,sotheybecameknownasProtestants.Nowadays,therearelotsofsectsthatareconsideredProtestant:Baptists,Anglicans,Lutherans,born-againChristiansandmanyothersalltracetheiroriginbacktoMartinLuther.

Notes

Lyric:Churchistoofatl ikeaReese'sCup.Lyric:Churchistoofatl ikeaReese'sCup.

TheCouncilofTrentwastheCatholicChurch'sresponsetotheReformation.

TheReformationhittheCatholicChurchhard.Allofitsmajorfigures—thePope,cardinals,archbishops—decidedameetingwasnecessary.TheywantedtocomeupwithaplantoaddressthepointsmadebytheProtestantswhohad

lefttheChurch.SomeCatholicswantedtotryandbringthemback;othersjustwantedtofigureouthowtomoveintothefuture.TheywantedtoreconsolidatethepowerandrespectoftheChurch.Overthecourseof18years,startingin1545,theymetatTrent,atownontheborderofGermanyandItaly.TheCouncilofTrentworked—itestablishedadoctrinethattheCatholicChurchwouldlivebyforyears.

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Lyric:personalwithJesus,Lyric:personalwithJesus,

LeowasnotafanofMartinLuther

PopeLeoXwastheonewhohadallowedprieststosellindulgences.HedidittoraisemoneyforbuildingawesomechurchesinRome,includingSt.Peter'sBasilica.In1521,LeothrewMartinLutheroutofthechurch(excommunication).

Notes

Lyric:OverinEngland,wefindHenryVIII,Lyric:OverinEngland,wefindHenryVIII,

HenryVIIIisknownforhismanymarriages.

WhenKingHenryVIIItookthethroneofEnglanduponthedeathofhisfather,peopleeverywherehailedthenewking.Hewasascholar,musicianandathlete,andhissubjectslikedhim.Thenewkingdidn'thavemuchinterestintheaffairsofthestate;heleftmuchofthepoliticalworkofthetimetohisaid,CardinalThomasWolsey.SomescholarsclaimWolseywastherealpowerbehindthethrone.Henrywasfamousformanythings—hehadsixwives,severalofwhomendedup

imprisonedinthefamousTowerofLondon.(Theyaresaidtohaunttheplace.)HewasopposedtoLutherandhisreforms,andforthatPopeLeoXgavehimthetitle"DefenderoftheFaith."ButhelaterdeclaredhimselfthesupremeheadoftheChurchofEngland,effectivelybreakingtieswithRome.

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Lyric:youknowhowdadswanttoplayballwiththeirLyric:youknowhowdadswanttoplayballwiththeirson?son?

BecauseCatherinecouldnotproduceason,Henrydivorcedher.

ItallbeganwhenHenrywasmarriedtohisfirstwife,CatherineofAragon.Theyhadagirltogether,"BloodyMary"(seebelow),butnoboys.ThatbotheredoldHenry;hereallywantedasontobethenextking.Plus,hewaskindofeyeingthislady-in-waitingatthecourtnamedAnneBoleyn.SoheaskedPopeClementforadivorce.TheCatholicChurchforbadedivorce,

butClementhadpersonalreasonsforsayingnoaswell.Henrybasicallyreplied,"Fine,ifyouwon'tletmegetdivorced,I'llstartmyownchurchandI'llgrantmyselfadivorce."Hedid,andthechurchhefoundedisknownastheAnglicanChurchortheChurchofEngland.

Notes

Lyric:hiswifeCatherinewasn'tgiv inghimone.Lyric:hiswifeCatherinewasn'tgiv inghimone.

MarysoughttobringCatholicismbacktoEngland.

QueenMaryIwillalwaysbeknownbyhernickname—BloodyMary.Maryonlyreignedforfiveyears,butduringthattimeshehadalotofpeoplekilled,hencethename.Oneofthefirstthingsshedidwhenshetookofficewashavehercousinandpotentialrival,JaneGrey,killed.MarywasintentuponreturningEnglandtotheRomanCatholicChurch,soshedecidedthattheProtestantsthathadbeengrowinginnumbersin

Englandwouldsimplyhavetobeputtodeath.HundredsofProtestantleaderswereexecutedduringherreign.ShemarriedPhillipII,KingofSpain,whoruledduringtheSpanishInquisition.

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Lyric:Lyric: Ifyou'resickofeatingthesamethingforlunch,Ifyou'resickofeatingthesamethingforlunch,standupstandup

ShakespearegainedpopularityduringtheElizabethanEra.

NextupontheEnglishthronewasMary'shalf-sister,ElizabethI.ShehadbeenimprisonedbyQueenMaryintheTowerofLondon,alandmarkstructureknownforitsmanyfamousprisoners.Whenshetookthethronein1559,ElizabethsetaboutundoingmuchofMary'swork.ManyconsiderheroneofthegreatestmonarchsinEnglishhistory.Sheestablishedthe

ChurchofEnglandonceandforall.DuringherreigntheEnglishdefeatedtheSpanishArmadaandbecameamajorpowerplayerinEuropeanpolitics.AndduringtheElizabethanAge,theartsflourishedinEngland.Manyscholarsgivethetitleof"mostimportantwriterever"toElizabethanpoetandplaywrightWilliamShakespeare(1564-1616).Andit'shardtoarguewiththisclaimsincehisworkhasbeenreadandhisplaysperformedalmostconstantlysincehisday.Hewrote37plays—Hamlet,RomeoandJuliet,Othello,andMacbethamongthem.Duringhislifetime,hisplayswereperformedattheGlobeTheatre.ItwasafamousplayhouseinLondonthatseated3,000andwasaffordableformostpeople.Oneofthebiggestandmostinfluentialpeopleinallofacademia,heneverattendedcollege.ItwouldbevirtuallyimpossibletolistthenumberofreferencestoShakespeare'sworkinourculturalhistorysincehisdeath.

Notes

Lyric:DiscussionQuestionsLyric:DiscussionQuestions

1.WhatweresomeofthewaysthattheBubonicPlaguehelpedtolaunchtheRenaissance?

2.Describesomeofthewaysthatthemovable-typeprintingpressinspiredtheRenaissance.

3.IfyouwereanItalianpainterinthe1460swouldyoumovetoFlorence?Whyorwhynot?

Notes