1. The Renaissance
1485–1660

2. Renaissance Timeline 1480 1660 1588:
English navy defeats Spanish Armada
1517: Martin Luther begins Protestant Reformation
1649:
Charles I executed; English monarchy suspended
1558: Elizabeth I
crowned
1480
1660
1509:
Henry VIII crowned
c. 1533:
Henry VIII splits Church of England from Rome
1564: Shakespeare
born
1620: Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock

3. What Was the Renaissance?
The Renaissance (French for “rebirth”) was a great revival of art, literature, and learning in Europe.
It began in Italy in the fourteenth century and spread across Europe to England over the next 100 years.
Interest in the classical learning of ancient Greece and Rome was renewed.
The arts and sciences flowered.
The human spirit of curiosity and creativity seemed reenergized.

4. Characteristics of the Renaissance
People read ancient Greek and Roman texts to expand their understanding of the world.
A humanist philosophy spread, focusing on human life in the present as well as on eternity.
Printing made books more widely available.
The wealthy, growing merchant class began to challenge the power of the church and the nobility.
Scholarly Latin spread across Europe, aiding the sharing of ideas across cultures.

5. The Renaissance and the Arts
Art flourished during the Renaissance. Church officials, royalty, and wealthy families served as patrons to artists such as
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
Michelangelo (1475–1564)
Edmund Spenser (1552?–1599)
William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
© Alinari Archives/CORBIS
A study for Leda and the Swan by Leonardo da Vinci.

6. Humanism in the Renaissance
Humanists combined ideas from Latin and Greek classics with traditional Christian thought to teach people how to live and rule. They sought
to answer questions about life—“What is a good life?” and “How do I lead a good life?”
to use the classics to strengthen, not discredit, Christianity
Desiderius Erasmus and Thomas More were two well-known humanists who helped shape European thought and history.

7. The Invention of the Printing Press
In the early 1450s Johannes Gutenberg, a German, invented the printing press. His invention transformed the way information and ideas were exchanged.
Books no longer had to be copied by hand.
Books became more numerous, available, and affordable.
© CORBIS

8. The Protestant Reformation
began with Martin Luther in Wittenberg, Germany, 1517 and spread across Europe to England
Martin Luther believed that religion should be based on a personal understanding of the Bible, not on the authority of the Pope and his bishops.
gained momentum as the Catholic Church was criticized for corruption
had a financial component in England, where the English objected to the financial burdens placed on them by the Vatican in Italy

9. Henry VIII (r. 1509–1547)
split the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church and declared himself head of the new church
had six wives
executed the humanist Thomas More
authorized creation of the Great Bible—the first official English translation of the Bible to be used in the Church of England
created the Royal Navy

10. The Reigns of Edward and Mary
Henry VIII was survived by three heirs; each ruled England in turn.
Edward IV (r. 1547–1553)
son of Jane Seymour
crowned at age nine
smart but sickly
ruled only in name
died of tuberculosis at age fifteen
Mary Tudor (r. 1553–1558)
daughter of Catherine of Aragon
restored power of Pope and Catholic Church
called “Bloody Mary” because she executed hundreds of Protestants

11. Elizabeth I (r. 1558–1603) daughter of Anne Boleyn
regarded as a brilliant and successful monarch
reestablished Church of England
never married; known as the “Virgin Queen”
patron of the arts
© Bettmann/CORBIS

12. Defeat of the Spanish Armada
In 1588 King Philip of Spain assembled the powerful Spanish Armada and attacked England.
England’s Royal Navy destroyed the Spanish Armada.
The victory at sea was a turning point in history. It ensured England’s independence from the powerful Catholic countries of the Mediterranean.
© clipart.com

13. Decline of the Renaissance
When Elizabeth died, she was succeeded by her second cousin, James, the king of Scotland.
James I (r. 1603–1625) loved literature and drama. He was a patron to Shakespeare and sponsored a new translation of the Bible.
However, he was unable to resolve religious and economic concerns, and his lavish dress and court life offended pious and thrifty merchants.

14. Decline of the Renaissance
Charles I (r. 1625–1649) succeeded James I, his father.
Charles’s troubles with the English Parliament sparked the English Civil Wars (1642–1651), which ended in
dissolution of the monarchy
Charles’ beheading
flight of Charles II, his son and heir, to France

15. Puritans in Power (1649–1660)
Puritans ruled England under the guidance of Oliver Cromwell.
Cromwell was a shrewd ruler who led England to international prominence.
Puritans closed down theaters from 1642 to 1660.

16. What Have You Learned? Match the achievement to the Renaissance ruler.
Elizabeth I James I Henry VIII
Elizabeth I
Henry VIII
James I
_____________— established the Church of England, separate from the Roman church
_____________— supported the arts but offended the English with a lavish and costly lifestyle
_____________— united England so that it could achieve military victory over Spain

17. The End