Renaissance, Reformation & Scientific Revolution Study Guide

What does the word 'Renaissance' mean?

Rebirth

What was Humanism?

An intellectual movement that focused on worldly subjects rather than religious issues.

Where was the cradle of the Renaissance?

Italy, specifically the city-state of Florence.

Who were the Medici?

A family that presided over Florence and were patrons of the arts.

Who is considered the ideal 'Renaissance man'?

Leonardo da Vinci.

What are some famous works created by Leonardo da Vinci?

The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

What did Michelangelo create?

The Pieta and the statue of David, and he painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

What technique did many Renaissance artists focus on?

Perspective.

What is 'The Prince' and who wrote it?

A guidebook for rulers written by Machiavelli.

What is the Printing Press?

The first machine capable of mass production of printed materials, invented by Johann Gutenberg.

What is Vernacular?

Common language used to translate written works, leading to increased literacy.

What was the Reformation?

A religious revolution in the Western Catholic Church in the 16th century.

What was one main complaint of Protestant reformers against the Church?

Rampant corruption.

Who was Martin Luther?

A German monk and main figurehead of the Reformation.

What did Martin Luther do in 1517?

He nailed his 95 Theses to a church door.

What were Indulgences?

Pardons that lessened a person's time in purgatory.

What did Luther believe about salvation?

That it could be achieved 'By Faith Alone'.

What are Protestants?

Groups who broke away from the Catholic Church to create their own denominations.

Who was John Calvin?

A Protestant reformer who created Calvinism.

What is Predestination?

The belief that God had long ago determined who would gain salvation.

Who was King Henry VIII?

The king who created the Anglican Church or the Church of England.

Why did King Henry VIII annul his marriage?

To be able to sire a son.

What was the Act of Supremacy?

A law passed by the British Parliament making Henry VIII the Supreme head of the Church of England.

What was the Counter (Catholic) Reformation?

A vigorous reform movement within the Catholic Church in response to the Protestant Reformation.

What was the Council of Trent?

A meeting called by the Pope to establish the direction of reform in the Catholic Church.

What was the Scientific Revolution?

The emergence of modern science during the early modern period.

What model of the universe did the Church promote before the Scientific Revolution?

The Geocentric model.

Who proposed the Heliocentric model of the universe?

Nicolaus Copernicus.

What did Kepler state about planetary orbits?

That they orbit around the sun in Ellipses.

What is the Scientific Method?

A step-by-step process of discovery where scientists collect and measure data.

What did Galileo prove using a telescope?

Copernicus' heliocentric theory.

What did Isaac Newton discover?

The force of Gravity and that nature follows a uniform set of laws.