Renaissance The Rebirth of Europe The Rebirth of Knowledge The Renaissance was the rebirth and revolution of art, science, religion, and humanity in Western Europe. Areas of Study o The Rebirth o The Italian Renaissance o The Northern Renaissance o The Protestant Reformation o The Scientific Revolution o Age of Exploration o Age of Enlightenment The Rebirth Three things would pave the way for the Renaissance: o The End of the Crusades o The Black Death o Joan of Arc The End of the Crusades The Crusaders brought new ideas and trade goods back from the Crusades. The Europeans were amazed by the fashion, foods, spices, and innovations which came from as far away as China. The Black Death From 1346-1353 the Bubonic Plague swept across the continent killing over one-third of the population. Millions more died from starvation. With over half the European population dead, a vastly different society would be reborn from the ashes of the old. Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (1412-1430 AD) was a teenage girl who became a general and led her people to several near-miraculous victories over the English. Her success heralded a new age of European military power. New weapons such as the English longbow, the cannon, and the harquebus would make feudal knights obsolete. 1
The Rebirth o End of Feudalism o Rise of Central Governments o Influence of Cities and Guilds o Importance of Commerce and Trade o Pursuit of Art, Science, and Philosophy Italian Renaissance Italy - the seat of the old Roman empire had evolved into a region of sovereign city-states. These city-states were republics governed by noble merchant families, and were defended by professional mercenary armies. Civic Pride As each city-state competed to be the most renown and wealthy, life in Italy became more artistic and colorful. There was a rebirth of study of Greek and Roman classics. Republics The Italian city-states were sovereign republics. o Patricians: nobles, guild masters, and wealthy businessmen o Commercial class: merchants and artisans o Lower class: 3/4 of the populace. These people had no votes in their republics Family Life All people had an obligation to their families and their family s business. Men learned the family business, went to school, studied their trade in other cities, and married socially conscious. Women oversaw the household and family activities. Young women were given a dowry, which was money and valuables to be paid to a prospective husband in order to entice him towards marriage. Humanism Humanism - a philosophy in which all people have dignity and value. o individual worth o public service o variety of skills and talents Realism Realism - using perspective to show people and things as they really are. Renaissance Man Renaissance men and women were expected to be knowledgeable and skillful in many different subjects and artistic endeavors. They were also athletic, witty, and held an enlightened philosophy. Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci was considered the ideal Renaissance man. He was an artist, inventor, athlete, and scientist. 2
Northern Renaissance The Renaissance spread north all the way to England though trade. Printing Press 1438 AD - Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, which is considered the most important invention of the last millennium. Moveable type made books inexpensive, and therefore knowledge became accessible to the common man. Good Queen Bess Queen Elizabeth I of England embodied the spirit of the Northern Renaissance. o Daughter of Henry VIII o In 16 th century America, the Virginia colony was named after her. Italian Renaissance s o Leonardo da Vinci o Michelangelo o Botticelli o Petrarch o Boccaccio o Miguel de Cervantes o Brunelleschi Northern Renaissance Leaders o Rembrant o Jan Van Eyck o William Shakespeare o Thomas Moore o Paraclelsus o Pare o Erasmus Writer Writer Writer Architect Playwright Statesman Medicine Medicine Religion 3
Martin Luther Martin Luther was a monk who objected to the corruption in the Catholic Church. In 1517 AD, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door which espoused new Christian beliefs. Protestant Reformation Martin Luther s protest against the Catholic Church led to the widespread reform of Christianity. New Christian Churches were founded across Europe. o Corruption in the Catholic Church led to... o Decline in the Church s Power which led to... o Challenges to the Church s Power which led to... o Reformation Common Bible The invention of the printing press weakened the Church s influence by making the Bible cheaper and assessable in any language, not just Latin. Protestant Reformers Reformers: Martin Luther, John Calvin, Desiderius Erasmus, Thomas More. Henry VIII King Henry VIII started the Church of England when the Pope wouldn t grant him a divorce from Catherine of Spain. This led to years of bloody civil war in England between the Catholics and the Anglicans. The Counter-Reformation Council of Trent 1545 1563 AD - The Catholic Church made its own reforms in order to end internal corruption and counter the growing Protestant Reformation. The Result of the Reformation The splintering of Christianity along many new ideologies and sects. Protestant practices of church self-government led to future democracy, namely in the 13 British colonies in North America. 4
Scientific Revolution Scientific advances from the Chinese and Muslims led Europeans to understand the universe more through science and less through religious tradition. The motions and properties of all objects must follow physical laws. Scientific rationalism led to the growth of democratic ideas and the coexistence of science with traditional religious beliefs. Scientific Method Francis Bacon created scientific method. o Observation and Developing a Question o Gathering Information o Form a Hypothesis (an educated guess) o Experimentation and Analysis of Data o Establishing a Theory or Law Famous Scientists o Rene Decartes o Nicolaus Copernicus o Galileo o Sir Isac Newton Philosopher Astronomer Astronomer Physicist Sir Issac Newton Newton was a scientist, mathematician, and astronomer who discovered gravity, and wrote the three laws of motion. o Objects in motion stay in motion, unless an external force is applied. o (F=MA) Force is equal to mass times acceleration. o Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Innovations and Inventions o Printing Press o Telescope o Microscope o Thermometer o Barometer The Rebirth of Europe After eight centuries of medieval times, Europeans embraced a rebirth of knowledge, trade, art, and science. Additionally, an evolution of religion and humanism led mankind into the Age of Enlightenment. 5
Renaissance The Age of Enlightenment and Exploration After the Renaissance After the Renaissance, the evolution of art, trade, religion, and science drove the Europeans to explore not only the world, but the human experience as well. Marco Polo 1266 AD - Italian explorer Marco Polo and his brother traveled the ancient Silk Road to China. They were made guests of the Kublai Khan, ruler of the Yuan Dynasty. They returned with fabulous trade goods, and invitations for trade. Age of Exploration The demand for trade goods from China was at an all time high in the 1400 s. However the Silk Road connecting Europe and China was 5000 miles long, expensive, inefficient, and dangerous. The solution was to journey to China by ships. Christopher Columbus 1492 AD - an Italian sailor named Christopher Columbus convinced Queen Isabella of Spain to loan him ships in the world s first attempt to sail west to China. Queen Isabella was leading the Spanish Reconquista (driving the Muslims out of Spain). Trade with China would provide her the money she needed to win her holy war. She loaned Columbus three ships - the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Three months into his voyage, low on food and water, and his crews close to mutiny, Columbus struck land and discovered a new world. The Spanish Conquest What followed was an invasion of conquistadors (Spanish generals and soldiers) into Meso- America. The Spanish pillaged and destroyed the Aztec and Inca empires, enslaved the Native Americans in the name of Christianity, and brought shiploads of treasure back to Spain. Circumnavigating the Earth Magellan led a fleet of Spanish ships past Cape Horn (the southern tip of South America) and into the Pacific Ocean. Though Magellan himself died in the Philippine Islands, his crew continued westward and were the first men to circumnavigate the globe. Trade across Continents 15 th and 16 th centuries - widespread trade led to an exchange of plants, animals, technology, culture, and ideas among Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Trade, exploration, and colonization also led to the rise of capitalism - which is free trade (supply and demand). 6
Missionaries Missionaries managed to spread Christianity across Africa, the Americans, Asia, and Australia. Spain and Portugal colonized South America, and the nations which developed there were mainly Catholic. England and France colonized North America, and the nations which developed there were mainly Protestant. Age of Enlightenment Enlightenment encompassed a revolution of new beliefs concerning the rights of man and the responsibilities of government. These radical ideals evolved out of the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, and the Age of Exploration. John Locke John Locke was an English scientist and philosopher who studied the natural world in order to investigate the relationship between God and man. He determined that man is basically good and is capable of self-government. He also believed that the natural state of man was to be free. Modern Democracy Modern democracy began with the Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Charles- Louis Montesquieu, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Ben Franklin. The ideals and evolution of modern democracy can be found in a trail of historical documents: the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the US Constitution. The American Revolution It would be in the 13 British colonies of North America, that the humanistic ideals of the Enlightenment would reach fruition. For the first time in history, a people would successfully revolt against their parent nation and win complete freedom and independence. From Mankind s great rebirth of art, science, and philosophy would evolve a new enlightened perspective of human existence. The belief in the God-given rights of man would spur an impossible revolution and create the world s first nation (USA) to be dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. History is Choices o Knowledge is Power. o Enlightenment (truth) is Freedom. 7