world history

Vocabulary (short definitions)

• Renaissance – Rebirth of art, learning, and culture in Europe (1300s–1600s).
  
  

• Fresco – Painting on wet plaster so the colors soak in.
  
  

• Vernacular – Everyday local language (not Latin).
  
  

• Humanist – Scholar who focused on human potential, history, and classical texts.
  
  

• Leonardo – Artist/scientist; painted the Mona Lisa and Last Supper.
  
  

• Giotto – Early painter who used depth and emotion.
  
  

• Dante – Wrote The Divine Comedy in Italian (vernacular).
  
  

• Petrarch – “Father of Humanism,” wrote love sonnets.
  
  

• Isabella d’Este – Powerful Renaissance woman, major patron of the arts.
  
  

• The Courtier – Book by Castiglione describing the ideal Renaissance man & woman.
  
  

Main Ideas

• Why the Renaissance began in Northern Italy (two reasons):
  
  

  • Wealth from trade and banking.
    
    

  • Cities with wealthy merchants who became art patrons.
    
    

• Three new values/characteristics of the Renaissance:
  
  

  • Humanism.
    
    

  • Secularism (worldly focus).
    
    

  • Individualism (celebrating personal achievement).
    
    

• Two new art forms that celebrated individuals:
  
  

  • Portrait painting.
    
    

  • Autobiographies/biographies.
    
    

• Renaissance ideals for men and women:
  
  

  • Men: Educated, skilled in arts, athletics, manners—“Renaissance Man.”
    
    

  • Women: Educated but not expected to seek fame; inspire art, not create it.
    
    

Section 2

Vocabulary

• Perspective – Technique that gives depth/3D to art.
  
  

• Cosimo & Lorenzo de Medici – Wealthy rulers of Florence; huge art patrons.
  
  

• Ghiberti – Made bronze doors called the Gates of Paradise.
  
  

• Brunelleschi – Architect who designed the Florence dome.
  
  

• Donatello – Sculptor who created the first free-standing nude statue since Rome.
  
  

• Masaccio – Painter who used perspective and realistic humans.
  
  

• Machiavelli – Wrote The Prince, saying rulers should use power realistically (“the ends justify the means”).
  
  

Main Ideas

• Two main businesses that made Florence rich:
  
  

  • Banking (Medici family).
    
    

  • Cloth/textile trade.
    
    

• Accomplishments:
  
  

  • Donatello: Created lifelike, classical-style sculptures.
    
    

  • Masaccio: Developed early Renaissance painting with perspective.
    
    

  • Machiavelli: Wrote political guide The Prince on ruling through power.
    
    

Section 3

Vocabulary

• Pope Julius II – Patron pope who rebuilt Rome and hired top artists.
  
  

• Michelangelo – Sculptor/painter; Sistine Chapel, David, Pietà.
  
  

• Raphael – Painter known for Madonnas and School of Athens.
  
  

• Albrecht Durer – German artist; woodcuts and engravings.
  
  

• Hans Holbein – German portrait painter (realistic, detailed).
  
  

• Jan Van Eyck – Flemish painter; oil painting pioneer.
  
  

• Pieter Bruegel – Flemish painter; scenes of everyday peasant life.
  
  

Main Ideas

• How popes rebuilt Rome / became main art patrons:
  
  

  • Used church wealth to rebuild St. Peter’s, hire artists, and glorify the Church’s power.
    
    

• Three artists who came to Rome (early 1500s):
  
  

  • Leonardo
    
    

  • Michelangelo
    
    

  • Raphael
    
    

• How the Renaissance spread north:
  
  

  • Trade, travel, printing press, and artists fleeing war in Italy.
    
    

• German & Flemish artists:
  
  

  • German:
    
    

    • Albrecht Durer
      
      

    • Hans Holbein
      
      

  • Flemish:
    
    

    • Jan Van Eyck
      
      

    • Pieter Bruegel