1. The Renaissance

2. The Renaissance Renaissance means “rebirth”
Lasted from around
During the Renaissance, people in Europe started living less by religion and began to embrace new ideas and technology
Started in Italy and then spread across Europe

3. Government Instead of fiefs, Italy formed city-states
Many city-states became wealthy because of trade

4. Government Two main types of government emerged in Italy:
Signoria- Controlled by a ruling family
These developed in smaller cities with only one powerful family
Republicanism- Groups of wealthy families ruled together
In large cities, there were many wealthy families and they had to share power
Examples: Florence and Venice

5. Humanism
Humanism- Using religious ideas to look for solutions to the issues and problems of everyday life
Used teachings from philosophers from Ancient Greece and Rome
Led to advances in science, literature, architecture, and art

6. Humanism
Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio are considered to be the first Renaissance humanists
They were both poets and writers
They came up with the concept of less focus on religion and more focus on technology and the spread of new ideas
Petrarch
Boccaccio

7. Technology from Middle East
During the Middle Ages, Muslims in the Middle East and Northern Africa made many scientific advances (math and astronomy)
Brought to Italy across the Mediterranean Sea

8. Technology from China
Venetian trade routes connected through the Silk Road reached as far as China
This brought the idea of block printing and paper-making to Italy

9. Printing Press
In the 1440s, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press
This greatly increased the number of books, which further led to the spread of ideas and the Humanist movement

10. Leaning Tower of Pisa Completed in 1372 183 feet tall
The foundation of the tower started to sink making it lean
In recent years, weights have been put on the opposite side to stop the leaning

11. Sistine Chapel Completed in 1481
Most famous for its ceiling, painted by Michelangelo that tells the story of the Old Testament
Located in Vatican City, this is where the Pope lives

12. Mona Lisa Created in 1503 by Leonardo Da Vinci
The most famous painting in the world
Currently, at the Louvre Museum in Paris