What was the Renaissance?

• “Rebirth”

• Time in Europe following Middle Ages

• People begin to view themselves differently- learning, interested in present day life, focus on individual achievement

• New spirit of adventure- explorers, science, art, writing

Timeline to RenaissanceBeginning of TimeHeight ofRomanEmpireFall ofRomanEmpireDarkAges MedievalPeriod

Humanism-Focus on human activities / control

LEADS TO:

• •Intellectual and Economic Changes during the 14th-16thCenturies

• •Growth of the merchant class

• •Resurgence of the city

• Revival of Classical Learning

Humanism

•3 main Greek & Roman ideas:

•Improvement through study & reflection

•Commitment to public service

•Life long learning (Well Rounded)

Intellectual Changes

• Education increases• •Humanists-Concern with the Greek & Roman

Classics• •Art & Architecture developed• •View of the world changed• •Decline of religion• •Increased understanding of the world

Economic Changes

• Demand for goods and services increases

• •Manufacturing centered in towns & cities

• •Bankers & moneychangers grew wealthy

• •Increased focus on education

• •Math, Reading, & Culture

Growth of Merchant Class

• Merchant & Commercial Class grew in power

• •More wealth=more influence

• •Promoted education and understanding of the world

Italy and the Renaissance

• Movement begins on Italian Peninsula

• Why??

• Recapture glory of Rome

• Wealthy cities- Florence, Milan, Venice

• Trading Center

• Spread north through trade, war, word of mouth

Renaissance People

• Niccolo Machiavelli– Italian, wrote “The Prince”, meant to be ruler’s

guide to uniting peninsula- remembered as dictator’s playbook

William Shakespeare

English Playwright, stories deal with basic human emotions- don’t change over time

Leonardo Da Vinci- “Renaissance Man”

Inventor, Scientist, Artist, Sculptor

Renaissance People

• Johann Gutenberg- German, Printing Press = cheaper books, more available, literacy rates rise, ideas / knowledge spread

Leonardo Da Vinci

“Renaissance Man”

Inventor

Scientist

Artist

Sculptor

Scientific Revolution

• Renaissance looked to past / religion for ideas, solutions

• Eventually people look to science to lead to human progress

• Challenge previously held notions / authority

• Everything must be proven!

Up to this time…

• Beliefs of Ancient Greeks / Catholic church dominated thought- based on observation / faith

• Aristotle / Ptolemy- earth is center of universe, heavens fixed in place, natural order to the world, four elements= earth, water, fire, air

• Church- Predestination, God’s order• Ideas combined, answers all questions- no need

to think

Examples

• Nicolaus Copernicus- “heliocentric theory” of universe, contradicts church teachings

• Galileo Galilei- Develops telescope- supports Copernicus, challenges church teaching that heavens were fixed in place- put on trial by church Inquisition

• Newton- Gravity

Revolution in Thought

• Cannot reach conclusion and then find evidence to fit, evidence must lead to conclusion

• Rene Descartes: “I think, therefore I am”,

challenges church view of the world

• Francis Bacon: Practical use for science- technology to make life better

Not everyone agreed…

• "This would be as if somebody were riding on a cart or in a ship and imagined that he was standing still while the earth and the trees were moving”- Martin Luther’s criticism of the heliocentric theory

Impacts

• Secular – Religious battle goes on• Apply to other areas- anatomy, animals,

exploration, government, technology• Age of human progress begins- seek scientific

solutions to problems and to improve the world ( rather than relying on God or the past)

• Leads to industrial revolution- machines created to mass produce goods = continued progress in standard of living