Transcript Renaissance introx

Opening Question (9/13)
• Copy This Chart Down into your Notebooks
The Renaissance (Rebirth)
Beginning of the Modern World
The World Before 1500 AD
Major Trade Routes
• Silk Road
– (China’s Pacific coast to Mediterranean Sea)
• Arabs controlled most overland routes
– (ex. Saharan Routes)
• Hanseatic League
– controlled Northern Europe’s coast and Black Sea
• Italians (Genoans and Venetians)
– controlled the Mediterranean Sea Routes
• Sea routes to Asia and India
– were made around African coast
Silk Road
China => Northern India => Middle East =>
Constantinople => into Europe (Italy)
What Trade Helped to Accomplish
• Why is it important to study?
– Exchange of products, ideas, technology, and
scientific advancements
• India (Sea Route around Africa)
– Medicines, textiles
• Middle East (Arab-Saharan Route)
– Numerical system, astronomy, mathematics
• China (Silk Road)
– Paper, compass, silk, and porcelain
The Renaissance (Revival of Curiosity
about the world)
What was it?
• Renaissance means “REBIRTH” in French
• Considered the birth of the modern world
• Revival of Classical knowledge, culture and art
– Greek and Roman culture and art
– Seen in artwork, literature, and philosophy of
Europeans
When was it?
– Lasted from 1300–1600 AD
Starts in Italian City-States
Where did it start?
• Started in Italy (Important
cities – Genoa, Florence, and
Venice)
– Italy was not a united
country (group of
independent city-states)
– Most cities had experienced
a stimulation in trade
• Due to the Crusades
– Eventually will move north into
the rest of Europe
How and why did it start??
• Why Italy?
– Central location on the Mediterranean Sea
– Access to trade routes from Middle East and
Byzantine Empire
• Helped Italian City-States accumulate wealth
• Italian City-States are located between Northern Europe
and the Middle East
– Crusades help to stimulate trade
• New products brought in from the Middle East
– Stimulates trade between Middle East and Europe
More Reasons the Renaissance Began
• New Banking Practices established
– Most major Italian City-States are republics
– Increase in trade creates the need for new business
practices
• Credit is established
• Banks start to charge interest on money that is leant out
(Usury)
– Church has rules against it
– Italian bankers ignore it and it increases secularism
» Secularism = Moving away from church influencing life
• Introduction Arabic numerals (Makes it easier to keep
records of money)
Who supported it? (Who paid these
artists?)
• Wealthy Italians
support new artistic
movement that was
going on
– Called “Patrons”
• Ex – Lorenzo de Medici
and his family (the
Medici family)
– Pay for new pieces of
artwork to be created
– Supported the arts
(much like charity)
• Why? Help to improve
society and their legacy
Movements born out the Renaissance
Humanism: (Seen in the writing and literature)
• Most important movement during the Renaissance
– Focused on the classics (Greek and Roman) literature and
culture
• Believed that by studying the classics one could live a moral and
fulfilling life
– Celebrated the individual and one’s ability to determine
right over wrong
– Humanist scholars and writers started raiding any work
they could find in Latin that was from the Ancient Roman
Empire
• Conflict for many Italian Humanist who were still Catholics
– many still committed to religious beliefs
– Created personal conflict and tension with church
Who and What spread these writings?
• Johannes Gutenberg invents the Printing Press – in 1440 (could make
books quickly)
• Remember that in the middle ages that Monks in monasteries had to
copy books by hand 
– Now books could not be burned or destroyed if the church or kings did not like
them or want them around!!!
– We will examine this more closely at the end of the unit
End of Day Question
• In concise paragraph, please explain to me in
your own words how European society
changed between the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance.
– Think about why we start a course in modern
history with a look at the Renaissance….
Artwork during the Renaissance
• New Artwork in Italy
– Different from Medieval Art
• Medieval Art: (Looks bland)
– Flat (did not look like real)
» Disproportionate sizes on people and figures
– All religious topics (mostly salvation)
• New Renaissance Art: (Vibrant and bright colors – looks
exciting)
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Focused more on individuals
More secular topics/more worldly subject matters
Use of perspective (adds depth to paintings)
More realistic portrayal of human body
Still has a focus on Christianity (just the not only focus)
Writers and Painters (We will discuss them next class!)
• Examples of Renaissance Art Work
• Leonardo da Vinci’s – “Last Supper”
(Fresco = painted on wall)
• Mona Lisa =>
• Oil on Canvas
Another Example (Michelangelo)
“DAVID” – biblical figure
• Marble Sculpture
“Sistine Chapel” – In the Vatican
• Pope commissioned
Michelangelo to paint a
giant fresco on the walls of
this chapel in the Vatican
(head church in Rome)