Bellringer Why didn’t ancient Greece invent feudalism?

Agenda 1.The Renaissance 2.Renaissance Art 3.Thesis statement practice

Objectives Students will be able to… 66. Explain the economic and cultural foundations of the Renaissance. 67. Describe the artistic, political, and philosophical developments of the Renaissance.

Europe Suffers… The Middle Ages – Focus on survival – Wars – Plagues – Ignorance But finally, a recovery…

The Renaissance Renaissance: a rebirth of culture – Greek and Roman culture return! Almost a golden age – Prosperity?  – Cultural development?  – Peace? Sort of Objective #66

How did it start? The effect of the Crusades – Re-learning of Greco-Roman ideas from interaction with the Muslims – Increased demand for Middle Eastern products – Stimulated production of stuff to sell in the Middle East Banks

Banking and Credit For long-distance trade – Barter is inefficient – So is carrying gold and silver Instead, carry a letter of credit – Bank promise that you have the money – Banks work out the details later

Other Economic Ideas Interest: the price you pay to borrow money – Church calls this a sin (usury) – Traders become more secular Bookkeeping – Hard to do with Roman numerals – Arabic numerals introduced (though invented in India)

Italian Renaissance Starts in Italy. Why? – Competitive city-states, governed as republics – Dominated trade routes between Middle East and northern Europe – Lived on top of Roman culture, stole Greek culture from Constantinople

Florence Genoa Venice

City-State Politics Initially republics, but wealthy families came to dominate – Control trade, then control government – Liked to spend their money on art to show off – patrons

Machiavelli Machiavelli’s The Prince – Political philosophy for absolute power – Ends justify the means Better to be feared than loved Do good when possible, evil when necessary Objective #67

Renaissance Spirit Humanism – Study of classics, focus on human potential and achievements Shift of values from Christianity – Petrarch (humanist poet) Secular – Worldly focus, even for church leaders – Have pretty, expensive stuff on earth

Art With patrons and an emphasis on having nice things on earth, art flourishes Themes: – Middle Ages: church and salvation – Renaissance: individuals and worldly matters (and churchy things)

Art A mini-webquest

Famous Artists Michelangelo Donatello Raphael Leonardo

Leonardo Da Vinci The Renaissance Man – Many interests and talents – Painter, sculptor, architect, musician, inventor, engineer, scientist, anatomist… Famous Works – Mona Lisa – Last Supper

Mona Lisa

Last Supper

Michelangelo Sculptor, architect, and painter Famous works – Most known for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – Considered himself a better sculptor Pieta David

Sistine Chapel “The Creation of Adam”

Pieta

Michelangelo’s David

Raphael Painter and architect Famous works (several rooms in the Vatican) – School of Athens

School of Athens

Donatello Much less famous than the others Also made a statue of David

Northern Renaissance

Wealth supports Renaissance ideas – Recover after Hundred Years War – More trade and more cities Humanism with more of a focus on religion than in Italy – Erasmus: The Praise of Folly – Sir Thomas More: Utopia – Shakespeare

The Printing Press Invented in 1450 by Johann Gutenberg – Spreads learning and ideas (more books) – Gutenberg Bible