AP Euro - Renaissance and humanism

historical events that led to renaissance

crusades and the Black Death

crusades

The Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christian and Muslim nations focused

primarily on the control of the holy sites, motivated by religious, political, and territory

effects of the crusades

interaction between christian and muslim words, created international trade, rediscovery of greek and latin literature, and awareness of the rest of the world

fall of the byzantine empire

It used to be the dominant power, where Greek Orthodox Church was dominant. Ottomans began taking control of the balkans, ottomans took Constantinople, changing it to Istanbul

The Black Death

brought on ships from Asia, killed 1/3 - ½ of the population, created weariness and despair, led to higher wages, (general) end of serfdom, workers gained land and livestock, loss clergy, harshness of mortal life

renaissance

considered beginning of modern European history, started in Italy, spread to Northern Europe, later to England,

How is the renaissance characterized

Growing national consciousness, political centralization, urban economy, growing lay control of secular thought and culture

What does renaissance mean

Rebirth

Why is it called the renaissance

Middle Ages seen as age without learning or achievement, and believed to be the pinnacle human achievement

who did the renaissance apply to

Upper class, since peasants illiterate and working and middle classes were too busy

The Renaissance Man

A man characterized by wit, intellect, creativity, extremely capable, exells at everything, practice of learning from the ancients with a new celebration of humanism

5 Italian City States

The Republic of Florence, Venice, Papal States, Duchy of Milan, Kingdom of Naples

SIgnori

Despots

Oligarchies

Rule of merchant aristocracies

Republic of Florence

While a republic, Medici’s held most power, center of renaissance in 14th and 15th century

Social Classes in Florence

grandi (old money), popolo grosso (new money), middle (guild masters, shop owners, etc) , popolo minuto (lower class), signoria (governed city)

Ciompi Revolt

Uprising of poor due to feuds between popolo gross and Grandi, established 4 year reign of lower class

Cosimo de Medici

Wealthiest Florentine and natural statesman, controlled Florence by manipulating constitution and elections, most power of medicis

Lorenzo the Magnificent

Cosimo de. Medici’s grandson, greatest patron of arts, totalitarian, cautious

Duchy of Milan

Ruled. by Sforzas, enemy of Florence and Venice, created good balance of power

the Papal States

religious and political leader and controlled lots of central Italy

Venice

Longest lasting of Italian city states, greatest maritime power

kingdom of Naples

s. Italian region of Naples and Sicily, officially had a king, controlled by France and Spain

Despotism in Renaissance Italy

oligarchies had much power, podesta had military and judicial power, condottieri were military brokers, political turbulence and warfare of renaissance gave rise to diplomacy and despots established resident embassies and appointed ambassadors

Treaty of Lodi

Brought Milan and Naples into an alliance with Florence and these 3 city-states stood together in opposition to Venice and the Papal States

Decline of city-states

Ludovico the Moor of Milan rose to power and broke the treaty of Lodi, Naples, Florence, and Pope threatened Milan, Milan asked France to help and he invited France to claim Naples but France threatened Milan

Charles VIII March through Italy

French marched over Alps to Florence, leader of Florence tried to placate him and handed over Pisa, but France left without Pisa

League of Venice

Ferdinand of Aragon was vulnerable so established league of Venice with Papal States and the HRE Emperor, Ludovico joined, Charles VIII retreated

Pope Alex VI and Bogia Family

France returned to Italy when Pope Alex helped them, known as most corrupt pope who aligned politics with ambition, Papal States lost territory, supported France and Borgia became possession of their family

Sack of Rome

Spanish King Charles V led his army to sack Rome, end of Renaissance in Italy

Medieval Worldview

Church ultimate authority, learning centered around Christianity, thinkers focused on sin, humanity seen as wicked

New Worldview

Humanity subject worth of study, improvement, admiration, celebration, capable of living good life, people seen as worthy because of potential and created to create, virtu

Virtu

quality of being a man, idea of excelling all pursuits

Virtu

“quality of being a man”, excelling all pursuits

New questions

What is the value of education? What defines “good governance”? What determines a person’s worth? What justifies war, violence, and revolution? What forces shape personal and collective identity? What role should faith play in human experience? What is the relationship between a person’s material condition and quality of life?

Secularism

interest in non religious aspects of life, more focus on material not just afterlife, Italian humanism focused on non-christian subject matter in literature

Civic humanism

education should prepare leaders to engage in civics, and some of the most important politicians at the time were humanists

Petrarch

Father of humanism, first modern writer, first to use critical text analysis, written in the vernacular, classical and christian influences in his works

Leonardo Bruni

first to use the word humanism, important politician, wrote the first modern history

Niccolò Macchiaveli

Wrote The Prince, very secular views that emphasized the individual, “the end justifies the means”, “better to be feared then to be loved”, rulers had to be cunning and aggressive

Baldassare Castiglione

Book of the courtier, qualities to be a true gentleman, described the “renaissance man”, contrasted with the medieval view, idea of virtu

Printing Press

Invented by Johannes Gutenburg, meant books no longer had to be printed individually, first printed book of the Bible, facilitated spread of knowledge