Renaissance and Christian Humanism - Video Notes Flashcards

A set of practice flashcards in a Question and Answer format covering key figures, concepts, events, and terms from the video notes on the Renaissance, Humanism, and related political and cultural transformations.

Who is considered the Father of Humanism?

Francesco Petrarch (1304–1375).

Which five disciplines comprise the humanities in Petrarch's program?

Grammar, rhetoric, poetry, ethics (moral philosophy), and history.

What did Petrarch and other humanists believe education should do?

Study of the classics provides essential skills; they opened schools and academies; emphasized returning to Greco-Roman models and valuing the individual.

What is Civic Humanism?

The belief that educated citizens should actively participate in public life and government; Niccolò Machiavelli is a key figure.

What is the central claim of The Prince?

To preserve the state, a ruler should use whatever means are necessary; it is safer to be feared than loved, but he should avoid being hated.

Who wrote The Book of the Courtier?

Baldassare Castiglione.

Which painting by Raphael is a hallmark of Renaissance art and what does it depict?

The School of Athens; it depicts Plato, Aristotle, and other philosophers to illustrate humanist ideals.

Which artist created David for the Medici courtyard?

Donatello.

Who is the sculptor of Michelangelo's David?

Michelangelo.

What is the significance of Gutenberg's invention?

The printing press with movable metal type; enabled mass production of books, spread of ideas, higher literacy, and calls for censorship by authorities.

What was Gutenberg's key contribution?

Movable type printing in the Holy Roman Empire; facilitated rapid spread of texts.

Who exposed the Donation of Constantine as a fraud?

Lorenzo Valla.

What is the Donation of Constantine?

A forged document claiming Constantine donated authority to the Pope; exposed as fraudulent by Valla.

Who is Christine de Pisan?

A pioneering early female humanist who argued women should be educated; wrote The Book of the City of Ladies.

What is Baldassarre Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier about?

A dialogue describing the manners, virtues, and behaviors needed to be a successful courtier; influential in Renaissance self-perception.

Who wrote Utopia and what is it about?

Thomas More; a critique of Europe’s governance in the form of an ideal society.

What is Christian Humanism?

A movement that combines classical humanist ideals with Christian ethics, advocating reform of the Church from within (Erasmus and More).

Who were key female and male humanists mentioned besides Petrarch?

Christine de Pisan (female humanist) and Baldassarre Castiglione (male humanist); also Lorenzo Valla as a major humanist.

What is the significance of Erasmus in the Renaissance?

Northern Christian Humanist who reformulated Christianity from within, translated the New Testament into Greek, criticized relics, and influenced subsequent reform movements.

What are Nepotism, Pluralism, and Simony?

Nepotism: favoring relatives/friends for jobs; Pluralism: holding more than one church office; Simony: buying or selling ecclesiastical privileges.

What is the Golden Bull (1356)?

A decree in the Holy Roman Empire that established seven prince-electors who chose the Holy Roman Emperor.

What is the Concordat of Bologna (1516)?

Agreement that gave the pope the right to receive income from French bishops while recognizing the French king's right to nominate French bishops.

What was the Reconquista?

The Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula; culminated in 1492 with Granada; 1469 marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella; Jews and Muslims faced forced conversion or exile; led to the Spanish Inquisition.

What was the War of the Roses?

English civil war (1455–1487) between the houses of Lancaster and York; ends with Henry VII establishing the Tudor line.

What was the Court of the Star Chamber?

A royal court established by Henry VII that operated outside ordinary common law to strengthen monarchical authority.

What characterizes the Northern Renaissance?

A more literate society due to printing; stronger Christian Humanism; figures like Erasmus and Jan van Eyck; emphasis on religious and ethical reform.

Name three key High Renaissance artists.

Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael (also Donatello as an earlier contributor).

What is the Ciompi Revolt?

A 1378 uprising of Florence’s lower-class wool workers against the city’s social order, contributing to instability before Medici dominance.

Why did the Renaissance begin in Italy?

Location at the center of trade, physical reminders of Greece/Rome, competition among city-states, and patronage by wealthy merchants.

What is Italic script and why was it developed?

A writing style developed by humanists because it was faster to write and easier to copy texts.