1. Italy as a major player What made Italian traders so successful?
What kind of merchandise did the Italians trade?
You do think that their selection of merchandise helped to increase their wealth?
Who were the wealthiest Italian merchants?
What major change of thought occurred with the freedom of earning money for one’s self and the potential of success.

2. The Renaissance in photos
As you look and view these photos, paintings, sculptures, and buildings think about these questions:
What sense of society do you gather?
What do the images remind you of?
How prominent is religion?
What area of Europe do you think these works come from?

3. The Renaissance in photos
As you look and view these photos, paintings, sculptures, and buildings think about these questions:
What sense of society do you gather?
What do the images remind you of?
How prominent is religion?
What area of Europe do you think these works come from?

4. Individualism Individualism then Individualism now
People interested in improving their lives
Culture game them the freedom to achieve personal wealth and pursue work of their own choosing.
Idea that people should think for themselves
Freedom to accomplish anything they were capable of
American society is based on individualism
No limits impressed on people
People are free to vote, worship, and express opinions
Economy based on individualism

5. Individualism’s Impact
How will individualism impact the economics of the time?
How could it impact science? Religion?
How was the spirit of competition and personal achievement seen in the arts and society?