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How did 14th century Italians characterize the Renaissance?
14th-century Italians characterized the Renaissance as a return to the sources of knowledge and standards of beauty that had created the great civilizations of classical Greece and Rome (800 BCE-400 AD).
Who was Petrarch?
Petrarch was an Italian writer who studied the classics and wrote poetry. He was an early proponent of Renaissance ideas.
Why did Petrarch study?
Petrarch lamented that he could serve as a model of virtuous behavior like many people in the 14th century who despaired about what was going on during that time (aftereffects of the plague). As a result, he studied a lot so that he could find models of virtuous behavior to bring chaos to his life.
Who did Petrarch come to revere through his studies?
Through his studies, Petrarch came to revere figures from Antiquity who seemed to understand proper values and follow them regardless of worldly distractions such as Livy the historian.
What precedent did Petrarch's reverence of figures from Antiquity set?
Petrarch's reverence of figures from Antiquity set the precedent for later Renaissance thinkers, who would follow Petrarch's example and see in ancient Greece and ancient Rome the models to shape a new world.
Why wasn't the Renaissance a complete shift from medieval knowledge and standards?
The Renaissance wasn't a complete shift from medieval knowledge and standards to those of classical Greece and Rome, as some of the qualities that we identify with the Renaissance had existed in some form throughout the Middle Ages.
What stayed consistent throughout the medieval times and the Renaissance?
Two things stayed consistent: Medieval scholars never lost touch with the texts and the Gothic cathedrals/illustrated manuscripts of the Middle Ages remained undoubtedly beautiful.
Is the term "Renaissance" controversial because it isn't a complete shift from values of the Middle Ages to values of Antiquity?
Yes, the term "Renaissance" is controversial because it isn't a complete shift from values of the Middle Ages to values of Antiquity. As a result, some historians consider it to be a part of a succession of renaissances throughout western Europe (and not its own era) while others consider it to be its own thing.
What was the Renaissance in its simplest sense?
In its simplest sense, the Renaissance was an age of accelerated change that began in Italy and that spread new ideas more rapidly than ever before.
Who perpetuated the ideas of the Renaissance?
The ideas of the Renaissance were perpetuated by medieval urban dwellers, who proposed questions about medieval values of hierarchy, community, and reliance on authority. They then replaced the old medieval values with a focus on ambitious individualism and realism.
Why did some questioners of medieval values no longer use the classical texts of Antiquity to reinforce the status quo?
Some questioners of medieval values no longer used the classical texts of Antiquity to reinforce the status quo because they had become common in the medieval universities (they were individualistic, they wanted to be quirky).
What did the questioners of medieval values who rejected the classical texts of Antiquity study instead?
Instead of the classical texts of Antiquity, questioners of medieval values began studying to transform themselves.
What is the most accurate definition of the Renaissance used by most historians?
Many historians define the Renaissance as a unique state of mind or set of ideas about everything from art to politics. Having first sprouted in Italy in the 14th century, these ideas slowly spread north as the prevailing medieval culture was rocked by the disasters of the 14th century.
Because the Italians of the Renaissance themselves believed the heart of their rebirth was a recovery of the spirit of classical Greece and Rome, what did the ancient ruins in their area (Italy and nearby, Greece) provide?
Because the Italians of the Renaissance themselves believed the heart of their rebirth was a recovery of the spirit of classical Greece and Rome, the ancient ruins in their area (Italy and nearby, Greece) provided a continuing stimulus for the incorporation of classical values into society (and the questions against values of the Middle Ages).
To the Italians during the Renaissance, what were the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome a reminder of?
The ruins of ancient Greece and Rome were an ever-present reminder of an age that they believed was dramatically different from their own - an age they sought to recapture.
What did the new appreciation of classical authors cause?
The new appreciation of classical authors caused a resurgence of interest in the Greek classics that had been neglected in the West for so long.
What happened when Constantinople fell to the Turks in the 15th century that benefited the Renaissance in Italy?
When Constantinople fell to the Turks in the 15th century, many eastern scholars there fled to Italy and brought their language skills and Greek manuscripts to them. As a result, new translations of some of the greatest Greek works became fully integrated into Western culture (since that time was around the time that the interest in the Greek classics had surged).
Why did the tumultuous politics of the Italian city-states play a role in the growth of new ideas in the Renaissance alongside the newfound appreciation for the classics?
The tumultuous politics of the Italian city-states played a role in the growth of the new ideas in the Renaissance because incessant warfare among the states opened the door for skilled, innovative leaders to come forward. These leaders, in turn, surrounded themselves with talented courtiers who broke from tradition to forward their own careers (pleasing their princes).
Why did the Black Death play a role in the growth of new ideas in the Renaissance?
The Black Death played a role in the growth of new ideas in the Renaissance because the plague's drastic reduction of the population caused huge economic changes. Prices plummeted and wages rose, so those who had survived the plague were well placed to prosper, and many grew wealthy.
Why was Italy ideally placed to profit from new demands for trade goods from the East?
Italy was a peninsula in the Mediterranean. Thus, this allowed easy access for Italians to send their merchants out and into the peninsula to bring back goods that included silk, jewelry, glass, and spices.
What did Italy's ideal placement for trade cause the accumulation of?
Italy's ideal placement for trade caused the accumulation of capital among individuals, families, and institutions.
What did the newly rich individuals, families, and institutions (from the accumulation of capital) use their money for?
The newly rich individuals, families, and institutions used their money to support the arts.
What did the financial support of the arts from the newly rich result in?
As a result of the financial support of the arts, the Renaissance became one long shopping spree that supported the talented artists whose vision helped define this controversial era.
What was the Renaissance the bridge between?
The Renaissance was the bridge between the Middle Ages and modernity (helped Western civilization move from the former to the latter).
What did the Renaissance emphasize and celebrate at its core?
At its core, the Renaissance emphasized and celebrated humans and their achievements. It thus received an advocacy of individualism that the West had not seen since the time of the ancients.
What was the Italian writer Pico famous for saying that contributed to individualism?
Pico was famous for saying that people could determine their own destiny. This set the precedent for other Renaissance thinkers to start believing in the human ability to choose right and wrong, and to act on these choices.
During the Renaissance, what biblical verse did Europeans favor from Genesis?
During the Renaissance, Europeans favored a biblical verse from Genesis that described humans as being created in God's "image and likeness".
Describe the connection between realism and the Renaissance.
People in the Renaissance prided themselves on their accurate view of the world, which is a form of realism. It appears vividly in the art of the period.
Describe the emergence of activism during the Renaissance.
The emergence of activism was another prevailing theme in the Renaissance. According to Renaissance thinkers such as Petrarch, being wise was not enough; one had to exert one's will actively in the world to make a difference.
Why is the spirit of the Renaissance considered to be secular?
The spirit of the Renaissance is considered to be secular because it did not take place in the churches, monasteries, or universities that were dominated by religious thought.
Were the Renaissance thinkers anti-religious because the spirit of the Renaissance was secular?
No, Renaissance thinkers were not anti-religious. It was just that while most believed deeply in God and many worked in the church, their vocation was to apply the new spirit of the Renaissance to this world (the worldly one), not the next (Heaven).
What was the key to the transformation that marked the Renaissance?
The key to the transformation that marked the Renaissance was education.
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