social studies test review

Perspective

Artistic technique used to give paintings and drawings a three-dimensional appearance.

Vernacular

The everyday language spoken by ordinary people in a region or country.

Humanism

An intellectual movement of the Renaissance that focused on human potential, achievements, and classical learning.

Printing Press

Machine invented by Johannes Gutenberg that made it possible to mass-produce books and spread knowledge quickly.

Secular

Concerned with worldly rather than religious matters.

Renaissance

The cultural “rebirth” in Europe from the 14th to the 17th centuries, marked by renewed interest in classical art, literature, and learning.

Patrons

Wealthy individuals or groups who supported artists, writers, and scholars financially during the Renaissance.

Reformation

A religious movement in the 16th century that led to the creation of Protestant churches separate from the Roman Catholic Church

Frescoes

Paintings done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster, common in Renaissance art.

Indulgences

Pardons sold by the Catholic Church to reduce punishment for sins.

Christian Humanism

A Renaissance movement that combined classical learning with the goal of reforming the Catholic Church.

95 Theses

Martin Luther’s list of complaints against Church practices, nailed to the church door in Wittenberg in 1517.

Leonardo da Vinci

Italian Renaissance artist, scientist, and inventor known for works like The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.

Machiavelli

Italian political thinker and author of The Prince, who wrote about power and statecraft.

The Prince

Book by Machiavelli that advised rulers to use any means necessary to maintain power.

Erasmus

Dutch Christian humanist who called for reform in the Catholic Church and wrote In Praise of Folly.

Martin Luther

German monk who started the Protestant Reformation by challenging Church practices.

Jesuits

Members of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order founded by Ignatius of Loyola focused on education and missionary work

Predestination

Calvinist belief that God has already chosen who will be saved and who will be damned.

Lutheranism

The first Protestant faith, based on the teachings of Martin Luther.

Edict of Worms

1521 decree declaring Martin Luther an outlaw and banning his writings.

John Calvin

French Protestant reformer who developed the doctrine of predestination and founded Calvinism.

Calvinism

Protestant faith founded by John Calvin emphasizing predestination and strict moral discipline.

Council of Trent

Meeting of Catholic leaders (1545–1563) that redefined Church doctrine and reformed Church practices.

Anabaptists

Protestant group that believed in adult baptism and separation of church and state.

Peace of Augsburg

1555 treaty allowing German princes to choose between Lutheranism and Catholicism.

Anglican Church

Church of England created by Henry VIII after breaking from the Catholic Church

Henry VIII

English king who formed the Church of England after his annulment request was denied

Catherine of Aragon

First wife of Henry VIII; her marriage annulment caused England’s split from Rome.

Ignatius of Loyola

Founder of the Jesuits who led the Catholic Reformation through education and missions.

Catholic Reformation

Movement within the Catholic Church to reform itself and counter Protestantism.

William Shakespeare

English playwright and poet known for Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet

Christine de Pizan

Renaissance writer who promoted women’s rights and education in The Book of the City of Ladies.

Thomas More

English humanist who wrote Utopia, describing an ideal, just society.

Protestant

A Christian belonging to a church that separated from the Catholic Church during the Reformation.

Pope Leo X

Pope who excommunicated Martin Luther and sold indulgences to fund St. Peter’s Basilica.

Emperor Charles V

Holy Roman Emperor who sought to stop the spread of Protestantism.

Act of Supremacy

1534 law declaring the English monarch the head of the Church of England

Anne Boleyn

Second wife of Henry VIII and mother of Elizabeth I; executed for treason.

Elizabeth I

Queen of England who established Protestantism and led a cultural Golden Age.

Liberal Arts

Subjects such as grammar, rhetoric, poetry, and history, central to humanist education.

Mercenaries

Soldiers who fight for money rather than loyalty to a nation or cause

Mona Lisa

Famous portrait by Leonardo da Vinci known for its realism and mysterious smile

Annul

To declare a marriage legally invalid

Recant

To withdraw or renounce one’s beliefs, often under pressure.

Edward VI

Son of Henry VIII; Protestant king who continued Church reforms in England.

Francesco Sforza

Ruler of Milan who brought stability and supported the arts during the Renaissance.

Realism

Artistic style focusing on depicting subjects as they appear in everyday life.

The Classics

Works of ancient Greek and Roman literature and philosophy that inspired Renaissance thought.