What is the Real Cause of the Renaissance? Ayo visto lo mappamundi (Italian)

A Change in Perspective During the middle ages –Find God –Prove pre-conceived ideas During the Renaissance –Find man –Promote learning and discovery

3 Cause # 1: Post Plague Awakening After the Plague subsided, more than 2/3 of all people in Europe were dead. The Feudal Lords had trouble finding people to harvest their crops and work for them. This led to peasants demanding more money and eventually freedom from their Lords. 4

4 Plague Continued Without the Plague and pure survival to worry about, people began to explore art and sciences, which began the transition to the Renaissance years. Decline in population leads to food surplus and increase in business activity Food surplus leads to low prices-extra income

An Extra Hour What do you think having extra time and not having to worry about food did for people? Go to my website and read the 6 hour work day article. –Do a 2,8,32 summary for it. When was the last time you were bored? What would you do with an extra hour?

6 Problems with the theory There is a 200 year gap between the zenith of the plague and the start of the Renaissance 6

7 Cause # 2 The decline of feudalism Some nobles went on the Crusades that were wars between the Christians and the Muslim Turks in Asia Minor from Many serfs left the manor and lived as freemen in towns. Townspeople had greater freedom and were educated. They had more ideas about art and learning and they looked at things in a new way. Many of these newly free serfs sought our self improvement in the form of education. Which led to a rise in Universities 7

8 Universities Fall of Constantinople –Greek scholars fled to Italy and began to form universities The invention of a movable type printing press by Gutenberg Books could be printed more quickly by the new printing machine. The price of books fell and people could afford to buy and read books. This helped the spread of ideas and learning. 8

9 Problems with the theory Those who left to fight in the crusades came back with greater riches than they could have dreamed of. That increase of wealth might have strengthened Feudalism Some argue that Universities grew because of the Renaissance, not the other way around 9

Cause #3 Humanism Pursuit of individualism –Recognition that humans are creative –Appreciation of art as a product of man Basic culture needed for all Life could be enjoyable Love of the classical past

"The Renaissance gave birth to the modern era, in that it was in this era that human beings first began to think of themselves as individuals. In the early Middle Ages, people had been happy to see themselves simply as parts of a greater whole – for example, as members of a great family, trade guild, nation, or Church. This communal consciousness of the Middle Ages gradually gave way to the individual consciousness of the Renaissance." – McGrath, Alister, In the Beginning, Anchor Books (2001), p.38. Humanism

Why Its Wrong Many powerful families kept control of funding the arts, like the Medici. Not everyone had equal access to success. You had to gain favor to gain support. Humanism is about the good of the group yet everyone was really out for themselves.

13 The decline of Church Influence A Split in the Power of the Church Early Middle Ages 14 th century Rome in Italy was the Church Catholic Church There were two Popes and they fought for leadership of Result: It reduced people’s support for the Church and also reduced Church influence. People became interested in the world around them and not just in religion. 12 France controlled the Church and moved to Avignon.

14 The decline of Church Influence, issues with the theory Ring around the rosy: During the plague the people turned to the church for salvation. People still were religious. Many artists were funded by the church. The church funded the Renaissance. 13

Causes of the Renaissance Cause # 1: Post Plague Awakening Cause # 2 The decline of Feudalism Cause # 4 The decline of Church Influence Cause #3 Humanism