1. The Renaissance
Chapter 12 lesson 4

2. The Renaissance I. The end of the Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages (which began in the fifth century) art and learning was centered on religion.
Starting around the fourteenth century, thinkers and artists turned their eye toward humanity.
This cultural movement was called the Renaissance.
1. renaissance means rebirth in French.

3. The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a period of cultural growth that began in northern Italy and spread throughout Western Europe, lasting from 1400 to 1600.

4. The Renaissance II. The Renaissance
Humanism was the central idea behind the Renaissance.
Humanism is an important idea to the Renaissance that focused on human values and what people can achieve in this world.
The growth of trading in Europe allowed many Italian cities to become wealthy.
Florence, Italy became one of the wealthiest cities in Italy.

5. The Renaissance
II. The Medici family was one of the wealthiest families in Florence.
After the plagues wiped out half of the cities population in 1348, the wealth of the city remained in the hands of a few families, the Medici’s were one of them.
Lorenzo Medici played an important role in the arts becoming important and loved in Florence.
Lorenzo was a patron of the arts.
Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, founder of the Medici bank.

6. The Renaissance Lorenzo loved music, art, and poetry.
Lorenzo would pay artists for their work; this drew many artists to Florence.
Lorenzo received the nickname of Lorenzo the Magnificent, because of everything he did for Florence.
Lorenzo ruled Florence from 1469 to 1494.
During the Renaissance people began studying the achievements of earlier civilizations.

7. The Renaissance
The Italian poet, Petrarch, was one of the first humanists to study classical works.
One of the greatest artists of the Renaissance was Michelangelo
Michelangelo studied classical ideas- i.e. balance and form-in his painting, sculptors, and architecture.

8. The Renaissance Michelangelo was born in 1475 in Italy
Michelangelo worked for Lorenzo Medici on the Medici Palace.
Michelangelo’s most famous work is on the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
Michelangelo is famous for his paintings, statues, and architecture work on buildings.

9. Michelangelo
Painted the
Sistine Chapel
It took him 4
years to
complete

10. The Renaissance
Another very famous artist was the painter Leonardo de Vinci.
Leonardo most famous art works are the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa.
The Mona Lisa was Leonardo’s favorite piece.
Leonardo also created statues; none has survived to this day.
Leonardo de Vinci was also an architect, scientist, engineer, and a musician.
De Vinci also worked for Lorenzo Medici.

11. The Renaissance
In Poland a man named Nicolaus Copernicus studied Greek and Arab astronomy.
In 1514, Copernicus made an important discovery through his studies.
Copernicus believed the Earth revolved around the Sun.
Copernicus gave us the Sun-centered theory of the solar system.
This new idea shocked and offended many, especially in the Church.
Before Copernicus, it was believed the Earth, not the Sun, was the center of the Solar system.
After his death his book, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, was finally published.
The Renaissance brought about the end to many old ways of life.
It marks the beginning of our modern history.