The Renaissance & Humanism

Transition to Renaissance Out with the old: Feudalism Catholic Church Fiefs Isolationism Peasants In with the new: Nation/City States Secularism Towns International Trade Middle Class

An Age of Transition & Recovery  Plague  Crusades  100 Years War  Collapse of Feudalism  Decline of the Church  The World was ready for a new attitude of optimism

“Rebirth” starts in Italian City-States  Milan  Venice  Florence  Cosimo de’ Medici  Lorenzo de’ Medici  Rome  Pope and Cardinals

Why did Italy experience the Renaissance first?  Renaissance Italy was a collection of city-states  Trade created a wealthy upper class  Actively pursued personal interests  Patronage moved from the Church to individuals  Rebirth of interest in their Roman past

Result of the Decline of Church Power  A secular (non-religious) viewpoint emerged  Ended the Church’s monopoly on education  Culture shift  Vernacular songs  Instrumental music  Dances

Humanism  The term generally applied to the philosophy of the Renaissance  Focused on human aspects of culture, society, and values  Revived the classical studies of Greece and Rome

Humanism in Politics  Humanists believed their services should be used by the state  Goal was to produce complete citizens who could contribute to civic life

Humanism in Education  Humanism focused on educational  Liberal Arts  History, philosophy, rhetoric, grammar, logic, poetry, math, astronomy, music  Military Arts  Javelin, archery, running, wrestling, hunting, swimming, military strategy  Geared primarily towards elite males

Humanistic Literature  Classical (Greek and Roman) manuscripts collected, translated, and printed  Revived ancient literary forms:  Dialogue, essay, comedy, tragedy, & ode  History, biography, moral philosophy, & political theory

Reinforcing the Renaissance  Columbus discovers the new world  Guttenberg’s printing press makes knowledge easy to distribute  Copernicus and Galileo’s heliocentric universe