1. Renaissance Figures

2. Renaissance Era The period of “rebirth” and creativity that followed Europe’s Middle Ages.

3. Brunelleschi Italian architect, he used mathematical formulas to design strong buildings like Il Duomo.

4. Michelangelo Painter and sculptor who, for example, painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

5. Raphael An Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, celebrated for the perfection and grace of his paintings and drawings.

6. Titian The leading painter of the 16th-century, Titian was one of the most versatile of Italian painters, equally adept with portraits, landscape backgrounds, and mythological and religious subjects.

7. Leonardo da Vinci Inventor and artist who sketched early tanks and cars and painted the Mona Lisa.

8. Galileo Created a powerful telescope and was the first to observe and record sunspots

9. Copernicus Published the theory that the Earth was not the center of the universe. (Heliocentric Theory)

10. Kepler A German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer, and a key figure in the 17 th century scientific revolution.

11. Johann Gutenberg Invented moveable type printing press

12. Vesalius Published detailed descriptions of the human anatomy.

13. Erasmus A Dutch priest and author who criticized corrupt clergy, which helped inspire the Protestant Reformation.

14. Cervantes Wrote Don Quixote.

15. Petrarch Early Italian Renaissance scholar, he wrote about the importance of knowing history.

16. Sir Thomas More An English lawyer, author, and statesman who in his lifetime gained a reputation as a leading Renaissance humanist scholar.

17. Dante Italian Renaissance poet, he wrote The Divine Comedy in the Italian language.

18. Shakespeare Playwright and author who wrote the play Romeo and Juliet, among others