1. Italian Renaissance
LT: I can identify and describe characteristics of the Renaissance and consider how specific characteristics distinguish the Renaissance from the Middle Ages.
Essential Question: What are some major characteristics/themes of the Renaissance?

2. What do you know about the Renaissance?
Make a KWL Chart in your journal that looks like this
2-3 bullet points in the first two columns
What I know
What questions I have
What I learned

3. When?
Renaissance:

4. Historical Timeline of Western History- NOTES
Ancient History Beginning - Fall of the Roman Empire Middle Ages Fall of the Roman Empire - Renaissance Modern History Renaissance – Current Day

5. Remember… Middle Ages – 500s-1400s
A period of stagnation in Europe.
Not much was changing, and not much was improving.
Cause of stagnation?
Social Stagnation: Feudalism –small, isolated communities. Kings, lords, nobles, and peasants.
Trade Stagnation: tail end of the Silk Road.
Warfare: Many small invasions of neighboring communities. Larger invasions at times. The Crusades (repeated many times)

6. Renaissance = Rebirth Renaissance is the French word for "rebirth”
Why would this time be thought of us a rebirth?

7. Characteristics or themes that distinguish the Renaissance from the Middle Ages

8. Renaissance Characteristics
Creative
Complex
Intellectual
Stable
Artistic
Cultured
Philosophical
Adventurous
Innovative

9. Where did the Renaissance begin?
What’s different on this map compared to a map of Europe today?

10. As the Renaissance began Italy did not exist
As the Renaissance began Italy did not exist! There were 5 major city states - centers of Italian political, economic, & social life.
Italian city-states such as Milan, Venice, Florence, Naples, and Rome played a crucial role in Italian economics and politics.

11. Why Italy?

12. 1. Thriving Cities - NOTES
Trade created by the crusades led to growth for Italian cities
They are the easiest place to share/spread ideas

13. 2. Wealthy Merchant Class - NOTES
Trade=wealth=rich merchants=political power
Believed they deserved power because of their individual merit – not who their ancestors were.
Most famous – Medici Family of Florence.
Bankers
Were the bank for the Pope
Medici – bankers & were the bank for the Pope

14. 3. Classical Heritage of the Greeks & Romans
Learn from their ancestors

15. Starts in northern Italy
The Renaissance
Means rebirth
Starts in northern Italy
Spreads north

16. Renaissance Values 1. Humanism - NOTES
Humanism- Humanism is a set ideas about how people should live and act. (philosophy)

17. Renaissance Values 2. Secularism (Worldly Pleasures) - NOTES
Secularism: the belief that religion should have no part in political or public affairs
Enjoy a good life without offending God
Enjoy worldly pleasures/luxuries
Fine food, fine clothes, fine home
Art had more earthly subjects

18. Renaissance Values 3. Individualism - NOTES
Individuals become more important than churches, guilds
Patrons - The Church & the wealthy ordered works of art for churches, walls, buildings, parks, homes
Artists wanted to be remembered- everyone did!
Biographies and portrait painting
emphasize the importance of individuals

20. Why do we study the Renaissance? - NOTES
Art & Architecture of the time still admired & copied today.
People still argue about the best ways to get & keep power –Machiavelli’s The Prince
Shakespeare’s plays are still as popular today as they were when he wrote them
Mass production of books began during this time
Christianity changed radically - tensions between many Christian groups that still exist today