Renaissance and Reformation

The Italian Renaissance O First developed in Italy in 14 th and 15 th centuries O Challenged medieval intellectual values and styles O Why Italy? Extensive urban, commercial economy and competitive city-state politics, ruins of Rome around them, Medici family O Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo O Niccolo Machiavelli- realistic discussions of how to seize and maintain power O Humanism: a focus on humankind as the center of intellectual and artistic endeavor O Encouraged innovation

The Renaissance Moves Northward O By 1500 Italy declining as center because French and Spanish invade and new Atlantic trade routes reduced the importance of Mediterranean ports so economy suffered O Northern Renaissance- France, Low Countries, Germany and Switzerland O Northern artists more religious than Italian counterparts O Shakespeare, Rebelais O Political moves to enhance state power O Don’t overstate importance of the Renaissance because many things outside of Italy left unchanged

Changes in Technology and Family O As a result of contacts with Asia, pulleys, pumps, mines, stronger iron products O 15 th century- Johannes Gutenberg introduced movable type and printed the Gutenberg Bible (built on Chinese technology)- led to more books- led to increased literacy O Change in family structure from larger, extended family of agricultural societies to smaller, nuclear family- increased the husband-wife bond

The Protestant Reformation O 1517 Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to church door at the castle in Wittenberg. He was protesting the selling of indulgences but more importantly he was arguing that only faith could gain salvation. Wanted to transform the church (priests could marry, services in local languages, etc.) O In Germany, Lutheranism popular because German princes were tired of being controlled by the Catholic pope and the Holy Roman Empire, so urging state control of the church had obvious political appeal O Once Christian unity had been breached, other Protestant groups sprang forward. England- Henry VIII set up an Anglican church. Jean Calvin (Frenchman in Geneva). Calvinism insisted on predestination of those who would be saved. Calvinists also wanted more people to participate in church administration. By early 17 th century Puritan exiles brought it to North America

Catholic Reformation O Catholic church launched own reform called Catholic Reformation, where a major church council revived Catholic doctrine and refuted key Protestant tenets O Jesuits, a new religious order, became popular in politics, education, and missionary work. Jesuit fervor sponsored Catholic missionary activity in the Americas and Asia

The End of Christian Unity in the West O Results of reformation- bitter religious wars, Edict of Nantes in 1598, Thirty Years’ War in 1618 broke out pitting German Protestant and allies such as Lutheran Sweden against the Holy Roman emperor- ended in 1648 with the Treaty of Westphalia, which agreed to the concept of territorial tolerance O English Civil War in 1640s O Political balance in Europe disrupted- France on upswing, Netherlands and Britain ready to play international role, Spain fell back. Kings and princes benefited from papal decline O Cultural change- family- focus on husband-wife love; less connection between God and nature; increased literacy

The Commercial Revolution O Increased trade, Europeans had new goods available to them, involvement with markets and merchants increased O Inflation and new colonial opportunities led to formation of trading companies, i.e. Dutch East India Trading Company O Manufacturing specializations arose in rural villages (shoemaking, pottery, metalworking) O Increased prosperity for everyone

Social Protest O Beginning of new proletariat in the West- people without access to wealth-producing property- leads to peasants turning into beggars O Uprisings in 16 th century by peasants and townspeople who wanted greater protection from poverty and loss of property O Growing witchcraft persecution