AP Euro Ch 12 - Renaissance

Study guide

What kind of movement was the Italian Renaissance? What does Renaissance mean?

The Italian Renaissance was a cultural movement that emphasized the revival of classical art, literature, and learning, drawing inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome. The term "Renaissance" means "rebirth," reflecting the renewed interest in these classical ideas.

Economic developments in the Renaissance

The Renaissance saw the rise of banking, trade expansion, and the flourishing of mercantile cities like Florence and Venice, which contributed to wealth accumulation and the funding of art and culture. This period also marked the beginning of capitalist economies and the decline of feudalism.

Jacob Burckhardt’s view on the Renaissance

Jacob Burckhardt, a 19th-century historian, viewed the Renaissance as the birth of modernity, characterized by individualism, secularism, and the development of the modern state. He argued that the Renaissance represented a distinct break from the medieval past.

The Medici Family

The Medici family was a powerful banking dynasty in Florence that became prominent patrons of the arts and played a crucial role in the political and cultural development of the Renaissance. Their support helped artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci thrive.

Hanseatic League

The Hanseatic League was a commercial and defensive alliance of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. It dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe and played a significant role in the economic landscape of the Renaissance.

Technological innovations

The Renaissance witnessed significant technological innovations such as the development of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg, which revolutionized the spread of knowledge. Other advancements included improvements in shipbuilding and navigation, facilitating exploration.

Cultural center of the Renaissance

Florence is often considered the cultural center of the Renaissance due to its concentration of artists, architects, and scholars, as well as the influence of the Medici family. Other important centers included Rome and Venice.

Castiglione’s The Courtier

Castiglione’s The Courtier is a Renaissance dialogue that describes the ideal courtier, who should be well-educated, skilled in the arts, and a man of good character. It reflects Renaissance ideals of the "universal man" or "Renaissance man."

Who drove the Renaissance and benefited

The Renaissance was driven by wealthy patrons, including the Church and powerful families like the Medicis, who funded artists, scholars, and architects. These patrons, along with the artists and scholars they supported, were the primary beneficiaries.

Change (or not) of the aristocracy from the Renaissance

While the Renaissance introduced new cultural and intellectual ideals, the social structure of the aristocracy largely remained intact. However, the rise of wealthy merchants and bankers began to challenge the traditional power of the nobility.

% of Nobles in the Renaissance

2-3%

Banquets in the Renaissance

Banquets during the Renaissance were grand social events that displayed wealth, power, and culture. They were often used by the elite to showcase their patronage of the arts and their knowledge of classical antiquity.

Third Estate in France

The Third Estate in France consisted of commoners, including peasants, merchants, and artisans, who were not part of the clergy (First Estate) or the nobility (Second Estate). They made up the vast majority of the population and played a key role in the French Revolution.

Western Europe in the Renaissance

Western Europe during the Renaissance experienced significant cultural, intellectual, and economic changes, leading to the spread of Renaissance ideas from Italy to countries like France, England, and Spain. This period also saw the beginnings of the modern state system.

Slavery in Renaissance Italy

Slavery persisted in Renaissance Italy, particularly in wealthy households where slaves were used for domestic work and as artisans. Slaves were often captured during wars or bought from traders in the Mediterranean.

Marriages in Renaissance Italy

Marriages were arranged for political or economic reasons; used to make alliances.

City-States in Italy

Renaissance Italy was divided into powerful city-states like Florence, Venice, and Milan, each with its own government, economy, and culture. These city-states were often in competition with one another, fostering a vibrant cultural and intellectual environment.

Famous Italian Women

Famous Italian women of the Renaissance include Isabella d'Este, a leading cultural and political figure, and Lucrezia Borgia, known for her patronage of the arts and her complex role in the politics of the Papal States.

Peace of Lodi

The Peace of Lodi (1454) was a treaty between Milan, Florence, and Venice that established a balance of power in Northern Italy, leading to a period of relative peace and stability. It allowed the Renaissance to flourish by reducing warfare among the city-states.

Machiavelli’s The Prince

Machiavelli’s The Prince is a political treatise that offers advice to rulers on how to maintain power by any means necessary, often advocating for pragmatism over morality. It reflects the political realities of Renaissance Italy.

Humanism

Humanism was an intellectual movement that emphasized the study of classical texts, the value of the individual, and the potential for human achievement. It played a central role in the cultural developments of the Renaissance.

Conflict between England, France, Spain, & Italy

The Renaissance period was marked by conflicts such as the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, as well as power struggles involving Spain and various Italian city-states. These conflicts shaped the political landscape of Europe.

Neoplatonism

Neoplatonism was a philosophical movement that sought to synthesize Plato's ideas with Christianity, emphasizing the spiritual and ideal over the material. It influenced Renaissance art, literature, and thought, particularly in Florence.

The Corpus Hermeticum

The Corpus Hermeticum is a collection of Greek-Egyptian texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, which influenced Renaissance thought on magic, mysticism, and the divine nature of the cosmos. It was particularly important to the development of Neoplatonism.

Pico della Mirandola & Oration on the Dignity of Man

Pico della Mirandola’s Oration on the Dignity of Man is a key Renaissance text that argues for the potential of human beings to achieve greatness through knowledge and self-improvement. It is often considered the "Manifesto of the Renaissance."

Vittorino da Feltre & liberal education

Vittorino da Feltre was an Italian humanist educator who pioneered liberal education, emphasizing the study of classical texts, physical exercise, and moral philosophy. His methods influenced Renaissance education and the development of the "universal man."

Humanism & history

Renaissance humanists transformed the study of history by focusing on secular narratives and the importance of critical analysis of sources. They sought to understand the human past through a more objective lens, often challenging medieval chronologies.

High Renaissance artists

High Renaissance artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, who are celebrated for their mastery of art and their contributions to the development of techniques like perspective, anatomy, and composition.

Focus of art in the Renaissance

Renaissance art focused on realism, the human form, and the use of perspective to create depth. Artists sought to depict the beauty of the natural world and the dignity of human beings, often drawing on classical themes.

Movable type for printing

The movable type printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century, revolutionized the production of books, making literature and knowledge more accessible and facilitating the spread of Renaissance ideas.

Renaissance painter of Madonnas

Raphael is one of the most famous Renaissance painters of Madonnas, known for his serene and harmonious depictions of the Virgin Mary, such as in his works The Madonna of the Goldfinch and Sistine Madonna.

Features of Northern Renaissance artists

Northern Renaissance artists, like Jan van Eyck and Albrecht Dürer, focused on detailed realism, often using oil paints to achieve intricate textures and vivid colors. Their work also emphasized religious themes and moral messages.

Patrons of Renaissance music

Patrons of Renaissance music included the Church, wealthy individuals, and royal courts, who supported composers like Josquin des Prez and Palestrina. Their patronage led to the creation of sacred and secular music that flourished in the Renaissance.

“New monarchs”

The “New Monarchs” were European rulers like Henry VII of England, Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain (Inquisition!), and Louis XI of France who centralized power, reduced the influence of the nobility, and laid the foundations for modern nation-states.

Effects of the Hundred Years’ War

The Hundred Years’ War between England and France led to significant social, political, and economic changes, including the decline of feudalism, the rise of national identities, and the development of stronger central governments.

Spain under Ferdinand & Isabella

Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain unified the country through their marriage, completed the Reconquista by capturing Granada in 1492, and initiated the Spanish Inquisition. They also sponsored Christopher Columbus’s voyages, leading to the Age of Exploration.

Hapsburg dynasty

The Hapsburg dynasty was a powerful European royal family that ruled over Austria, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire, among other territories. Their influence shaped European politics, particularly during the Renaissance and Reformation. Holy Roman Emperor.

Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire, the continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire, played a crucial role in preserving classical knowledge and influencing Renaissance humanism. Its fall in 1453 contributed to the migration of Greek scholars to Italy, fueling the Renaissance.

John Wycliffe

John Wycliffe was an English theologian and early reformer who criticized the Catholic Church and promoted the translation of the Bible into vernacular English. His ideas influenced later reform movements, including the Protestant Reformation.

Renaissance popes

Renaissance popes, like Julius II and Leo X, were significant patrons of the arts, commissioning works from artists like Michelangelo and Raphael. However, they were also criticized for their political ambitions and the corruption within the Church. Nepotism.