Constructive Response Question The Renaissance

Summarize the Renaissance and

identify why it started in Italy.
Outcome: The Renaissance in Italy

1. The Middle Ages Ends

a. Europe is starting to take shape with England, France, and regions in
Italy all evolving
b. Revival of culture
c. Return to cities
d. The Church was still powerful
e. Writers and artists began to express new ideas and styles

2. What is the Renaissance?

a. Renaissance: Rebirth in art, writing, architecture, learning, and culture.
b. The educated hoped to bring back to life the culture of classical Greece and Rome

c. In doing so, they created something entirely new: innovative styles of art and
literature.
d. The Renaissance eventually spread from northern Italy to the rest of Europe
e. Occurred roughly 1300 - 1600

3. Why Italy?
a. Italy had 3 distinct advantages
i. City-States
1. Overseas trade , spurred by the Crusades had led to growth of large
city-states.

2. Thus, northern Italy was urban while the rest of Europe was still Rural
3. Cities were the place where people exchanged ideas and the
site of a intellectual revolution
4. Survivors of plague could demand higher wages
5. Merchants had few opportunities to expand business so
they pursued art

ii. Merchants and the Medici

1. A wealthy merchant class developed in each Italian city-state
2. Merchants dominated politics
3. Merchants did not inherit social rank- used their wits to survive
4. This lead to the rise of importance of individual merit

5. The Medici banking family came to dominate Florence

a. Had branch offices all throughout Italy and Europe
b. Cosimo de Medici was the wealthiest European of his time
c. Grandson Lorenzo de Medici became great patron of the arts
d. Patron : someone who financially supports an artist or the arts
 iii. Classical heritage of Greece and Rome
1. Renaissance artists looked down on the art and
literature of the Middle Ages
2. Instead they wanted to revive the learning of the Greeks and Roman
3. Ruins of Rome were nearby
4. Many Greek manuscripts made their way to Rome via Christian
scholars

4. Classical and Worldly Values

a. As scholars studied manuscripts, they became more influenced by classical ideas
. This lead to:
b. Humanism : an intellectual movement that focused more on human potential
and achievements
i. Popularized the study of history , literature, and philosophy (all are
known as humanities)
c. Worldly pleasure: Humanists suggested that a person could enjoy life without
offending God

i. Ex. Wealthy could enjoy material luxuries , good music, and fine foods

5. The Renaissance Man and Woman

a. Renaissance Man: One strove to be a master in every area of study
i. Expected to be charming , witty , and well educated in the classics
ii. Also should be a skilled rider , wrestler, and swordsman

b. Renaissance Woman: Upper - Class women should know the classics and be
charming
i. Not expected to seek fame
ii. Inspire art but not create it
iii. Little influence in politics
Constructive Response Question
Summarize the Renaissance and identify why it started in Italy.

ll the art, writing, architecture, learning, as well as the culture. The main idea was to rebirth the culture of clas