World History Unit 3

Renaissance

Cultural and Intellectual Thought Before the Renaissance

• Dominated by Christianity• Dominated by Feudalism-political, economic, and social

structure• Greek and Roman culture essentially forgotten • Dominated by concerns for:

– Salvation – Territorial disputes– Black Death– Lack of Education outside monasteries– Small scale trade

Factors Influencing Shift Toward Renaissance

• Crusades exposed Europe to the global world and advanced civilizations—scholasticism exposure to rest of world and Europe’s past

• Byzantine and Islamic cultures preserved the past adding the knowledge of math and science Countries unified under centralization

• Increased trade fueled further contact and learning• Universities became centers of learning• Other major movements emerged in addition to the

Renaissance—the Reformation, Scientific Revolution, and Enlightenment

Shifts in Thought

• Europe was no longer backward, isolated, self-involved, self-sufficient region on edge of world

• Desire to become dominant civilization grew• Exploration and expansion grew from shift in thought• Not quick or in equal proportions• Took long time to penetrate all circles• Guarded jealously by people with power• Peasants didn’t participate—no education or position to

learn about it—lack of opportunity

RENAISSANCE

• Means the rebirth of Greek and Roman culture

• Lasted approximately 1300-1600 A.D.

Why the Renaissance?• Demand for labor high• Demand for products high• Population began to increase after Black Death• People moved to cities• Middle, or Merchant Class, emerged—bankers, merchants, traders, etc.• Huge influx of coined money• Interactions with Muslim world continued while Byzantine Empire was

severely weakening• Italian city-states became very rich supplying and transporting goods (Milan,

Venice, and Florence)• Increased wealth and new opportunities for material achievement in growing

urban societies• Scholars uncovered lost and forgotten Greek and Roman written works• Located on former ruins• Would encourage competition amongst growing European powers

HUMANISM• Focus on human endeavor—non-religious thinking and action• Previously life was useless and goal was heaven—suck it up now

for heaven awaits• Shift in thinking from afterlife to here and now• Focus on individuals meant less focus on institutions such as the

Church• Historical texts were revisited with focus on personal

accomplishments and personal happiness—Greek and Roman literature has tons of examples

• “Renaissance Man” emerged—Leonardo da Vinci—artist (painter & sculptor), scientist, musician, architect, engineer, inventor, mathematician

• Writings and art began to reflect humanism • Power of church declined during the Renaissance

Characteristics of Renaissance Art

• Themes became more secular rather than religious

• Subjects were popes, monarchs, merchants, Greek and Roman deities, contemporary events

• Human figures were more realistic due to increased study of human anatomy

• Used perspective—three dimensional• Began using oil paints

Rebirth in Arts

• Wealthy families in city-states patronized the arts—Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

• Human figure is realistic—3 dimensional, use of shadows to illuminate

• Linear perspective—focal point • Embraced by Roman Church

– Art adorned palaces and cathedrals– Huge domes

• Spread northward• Greater variety of colors—due to trade and

exposure

Renaissance Writing• Johannes Gutenberg’s Printing Press with moveable type—made printing books

much easier• Prior to printing press and Renaissance was little need for books—no one to read

them • Previously invented by Song Dynasty in China who gained knowledge from Korea—

was Gutenberg aware?• Ease of printing made it cheaper and able to be mass produced in other languages

other than Latin• The Bible was the first book mass produced by the printing press and was spread in

other languages other than Latin for the first time• Middle class becoming more educated, demanding more books, increased demand

for paper from Arabs and Chinese• Helped spread Protestant Reformation views• Other books printed were mainly for entertainment purposes focusing on daily lives of

people (the Vernacular)– The Prince by Machiavelli—self-interest more important than morals (how to keep political

power)– Utopia by Sir Thomas Moore—ideal society– Works of Shakespeare focused on humanism—human faults, strengths, tragedy, comedy,

and classical world—Julius Caesar, etc.