Renaissance & Politics

“Getting out of the Dark Ages”

Unit 3, SSWH 9 a & b

How did life change during the Renaissance and Reformation?

SSWH 9 a & bExplain the social, economic, and

political changes that contributed to the rise of Florence and the ideas of Machiavelli.

Identify artistic and scientific achievements of Leonardo da Vinci, the “Renaissance man,” and Michelangelo.

Renaissance “rebirth” – Revival of art & learning

• Europe suffered from both war & plague (Bubonic Plague “Black Death” - 25 million died)

• Survivors wanted to celebrate life & the human spirit

• People began questioning institutions: church & govt.

• Writers & artists began to express this new way of thinking (brought back classic ideas: Greek & Roman)

• New value: individual (medieval age: valued the community) p. 410-417

Social & Economic Contributions•Cities in Italy grew, Crusaders

traveled through•Pop. Down (plague): worker

could demand higher wages •Wealthy merchants (Burghers)

developed & got into politics

Politics• Merchants dominate politics, believed

they deserved power & wealth• Medici Family (bankers) ran Florence as a

dictator (with the appearance of a democracy)• Machiavelli, wrote “The Prince” & said

people are fickle, selfish, & corrupt• No morals, only concerned with what was

effective - “The end justifies the means”

Renaissance Man• Educated people, expected to create

art• Individuals tried to master all areas

of study• Young man should be charming,

witty, & well educated in the classics, trained in/as a dancer, singer, poetry, rider, wrestler, & swordsman

Humanism p.410-412• focused on human potential &

achievements• Studied Classical texts (Greek & Roman)• Influenced artists and architects

Continued• Studied history, literature, and

philosophy• Examined traditional teachings of

the church

Leonardo da Vinci• Painter, sculptor, inventor, &

scientist• Interested in how things worked• Famous: paintings

Mona Lisa, The Last Supper p.414

Michelangelo Buonarroti• Sculptor, poet, architecture, & painter• Painted realistic portraits, concentrated

on the body – used perspective• Famous: painted the dome of St. Peter’s

Basilica, Sistine Chapel, & statue of Davidp. 414 -415

Petrarch•Father of Renaissance humanism•Great poet: wrote both in Italian and Latin

Dante•Wrote using vernacular (wrote in everyday local language) and about secular (worldly) things• The Divine Comedy in

Italian p. 265

Erasmus “ Christian

Humanist”• Christian Humanist• The Praise of Folly

• To Improve society, all people should study the Bible

Gutenberg & The Printing Press

• Chinese invented block & moveable type• 1440, Johann Gutenberg developed a printing press• Process produced books cheaply & quickly p. 418

Continued

• First book printed: Gutenberg Bible in 1455• it increase the amount of

available knowledge in society & literacy• Spreading ideas quickly

Ticket Out the Door

Why is the Renaissance considered a rebirth?

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