1. Renaissance The Rebirth of Europe

2. Humanism and Secular Life  Study of classical texts that focused on potential human achievement  Artists to carry on classical traditions  Study history, literature, and philosophy  Humanists think that you should enjoy what God has given  Material luxuries, music, and tasty food  Secular life - concerned with the here and now

3. Beginnings of the Rebirth  Rebirth of art and learning  Begins in Northern Italy around 1300  Took longer to happen in N. Europe because of the 100 years war  Italy had several advantages  Thriving cities, wealthy merchant class, heritage of Greece and Rome

4. Urban Centers  Crusades brings about much overseas trade  N. Italy was very urban  Cities places for new ideas to spread  Plague had previously hit hard and changed economic structure  Fewer opportunities for business expansion, merchants begin pursuing the arts

5. Merchant Class  All Italian city-states ran their own affairs - collect taxes, have own army  Merchants wealthiest most powerful class  Didn’t inherit social rank  Success depended on own abilities  Individual achievement became important

6. Changing Art  New techniques  Vanishing point, perspective, and horizon line  Often painted religious depictions

7. New Writers  Begin writing in the vernacular  Wrote either self- expression or to portray the individuality of their subject Picture from Dante’s Inferno

8. Northern Renaissance Begins  1453 The 100 Years War ended and cities are growing rapidly  Began first in Flanders  England and France unified under strong monarchs  More humanists in France more concerned with religious ideas  Social reform based on Christian values

9. Northern Writers Reform Society  Erasmus - The Praise of Folly, poked fun at greedy merchants, heartsick lovers, quarrelsome scholars, and pompous priests.  Thought to improve society all should study the bible  Believed in a Christianity of the heart not of ceremonies  Sir Thomas Moore - Utopia, imaginary land about peace loving people, no greed, corruption, war, or crime