Everyday Life in the Renaissance

1. The name Renaissance is from the French word meaning rebirth. 2. The Renaissance began in Italy in the 1300s. 3. People in Florence had more money to spend than ever before. 4. Much of Europe’s economy was growing. By the 1500s, trade was moving throughout Europe. More trade meant more people had money to buy things. 5. Venice was the place where luxury goods from the far East entered Europe.

6. London and Amsterdam were crossroads of trade between northern and southern Europe. 7. Florence became the center of a textile industry known for making Europe’s finest woolen cloth. 8. Many homes during this time had wooden shutters in place of windows; however, rich people could afford glass. 9. People began using mattresses instead of just sleeping on a wooden board. The now began using sheets/linens. 10. Some people of the Renaissance were lucky enough to have a bathroom known as a garderobe which was both a bathroom and a closet.

11. If a servant dressed up too much, they could get tossed into jail 11. If a servant dressed up too much, they could get tossed into jail. There were sumptuary laws which made it illegal for anyone to dress like they were richer or more powerful than they really were. 12. In England, only members of the royal family were allowed to wear the color purple 13. Clothes were the mark of social status and social status was the mark of authority. 14. For rich and poor, a major reason for the rising standard of living in the Renaissance was there was more food to eat thanks to expanding trade and improving transportation. 15. Bread was an important part of the Renaissance diet and it became available in greater quantities. The rich ate white bread and the poor ate coarse dark bread.

` 16. By the 1500s, new foods came from the discovery of America. This brought potatoes, tomatoes, corn, squash, peppers, and beans. 17. People tended to dump their waste in rivers, so clean drinking water was hard to come by. 18. For entertainment people attended festivals, horse races and even public executions. 19. People began to question their traditional religious beliefs. Those questions launched the reformation. 20. More people than ever before were learning to read and write. 21. Some cities thought education was so important that they funded schools for children whose parents weren’t rich/wealthy. 22. Education was the key to living a better life.