The Italian Renaissance began in the late Middle Ages as increased trade with Asia exposed Italian cities to new ideas. Wealthy merchant families in cities like Florence supported education and the arts. Florence became the center of Renaissance culture under the patronage of the Medici family. Key features of the Renaissance included a love of art and education, an interest in classical Greek and Roman cultures, and an emphasis on individuals. Humanism stressed the importance of human abilities over religion. Notable Renaissance artists included Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, who created realistic human art and influenced many fields. The printing press helped spread Renaissance ideas, leading to reforms in the Catholic Church and the Protestant Reformation.

1. The Italian
Renaissance
The period of “rebirth”
following Europe’s
Middle Ages

2. Origins of the Renaissance
1. Italian cities
increased trade with
Asia after the Black
Plague and were
exposed to new ideas.
2. Increase in Wealth
3. Italian merchant
families became very
wealthy and used this
money to support
education and cultural
activities.

3. Florence, Italy
• Florence bankers kept money for European merchants.
• The Medici family, who were the wealthiest of the
bankers, ruled Florence.
• Cosimo de Medici wanted Florence to be the most
beautiful city in the world:
• Hired artists and architects
• Built libraries and collected to books to improve education
Florence became the center of Italian art, literature,
and culture causing rich families in other Italian
cities to try to outdo each other.

4. Key Features:
• Love of art and
education
• Interest in
classical cultures
of the ancient
Greeks and
Romans
• Importance of
people as
individuals

5. Humanism
• A new way of thinking in the 1300s that stressed the
importance of human abilities and actions rather than
religion
• Effects of Humanism
• Education: began to study the humanities
(poetry, history, art, Greek and Latin
languages)
• Art: looked to the Greek and Roman ruins
and statues for inspiration
• Religion: began to question if the
Christian Church was corrupt and
emphasize devotion to God and Jesus
rather than Church ritual

6. Humanism in Science
• The Renaissance philosophy of rethinking old beliefs
applied to the field of science as well.
• Scientists such as Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and
Newton began to reexamine the physical world. From
their reexamination, new scientific fields and principles
developed.
Kepler
Galileo (invented telescope)

7. Political Realism
• As learning increased, people also began to
have broader ideas about politics and government, not
focusing solely on the church as the leader.
• An important political book was written that discussed
the relationship between the ruler and the ruled. It
was called The Prince by Machiavelli. It was very
controversial at the time and continues to raise
controversy even today.
• Rulers should behave like a lion (aggressive, powerful) and a
fox (sneaky, cunning).
• “It is better to be feared than loved.”
• The Prince is still studied by political scholars and is
considered one of the world’s most important books on
politics.

8. Contributions:
1. Art
• studied anatomy (the structure of the human
body) and drew humans realistically
• Used new technique called perspective, which
using light and shading to show depth and
distance on flat surfaces
1. Education
• Studied math and science to improve
architecture and learned the earth revolves
around the sun
1. Literature
• Wrote in language of own country so everyone
could read it

9. Great Artists
Michelangelo -
Designed buildings,
wrote poetry, carved
sculptures, and
painted magnificent
pictures
Most famous work is the
SISTINE CHAPEL in
St. Peter’s Cathedral
Leonardo da Vinci -
Expert painter, sculptor,
architect, inventor,
engineer, town planner,
and mapmaker
Most famous works are
the MONA LISA and
THE LAST SUPPER
Is considered to be the
classic example of a
“Renaissance Man.”

10. Michelangelo
Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

11. Michelangelo
• Close up of The Sistine Chapel Ceiling
The face of God The Prophet Isaiah The hands of God and Adam

12. Michelangelo
Sculpture of David Pieta – a marble sculpture

13. Leonardo da Vinci
• The Last Supper

14. Leonardo da Vinci
• Self-Portrait • The Mona Lisa

15. Leonardo da Vinci
Studies of Anatomy Design for a Flying Machine

16. Spread of the Renaissance:
1. Papermaking spread from China to
Europe.
How do you think paper got to Europe?
2. Johann Gutenberg developed a printing
press that used movable type.

17. 3. Books became more available and people learned
to read, became educated, and wanted to learn more.
The first books printed by the printing press were
about Christianity, but later others were printed.
4. Europeans came to study in Italy’s universities
and took ideas back home with them.

18. The Reformation
• Causes:
•People thought the Catholic Church
had become corrupt. They felt:
•The church was too rich.
•The priests were not religious.
•The church’s sale of indulgences
(a document signed by the Pope
excusing people from penalties
for their sins) was immoral.

19. Reformation Causes, Cont.
• Humanist ideas also helped to bring about
Reformation in the church.
• Due to the printing press making books more
available, more people were able to read and
interpret the Bible for themselves.

20. Key Events of the Reformation
• MARTIN LUTHER called for reform
of the Roman Catholic Church and
started the Reformation by nailing a
list of 95 complaints (called the
Ninety-Five Theses) against the
Catholic Church on a German church
door.

21. Some of Luther’s complaints
• Luther disagreed with the church’s teachings on
the following topics:
• Individuals need an intermediate (such as a priest) to
communicate with God.
• People could buy indulgences to excuse them of the
consequences of their sins.
• The Pope could excommunicate people from the Church.
• The Pope excommunicated Luther
leading to a split in the church.

22. Key Events (continued)
• Protestantism was created by reformers
who supported Luther and his protest
against the Catholic Church.
Martin Luther
Ninety-Five Theses

23. Key Events (continued)
• JOHN CALVIN followed Luther’s example
and began to protest as well. He taught
that common people should have a say in
church policy and the idea of
predestination. Predestination means that
God knows who will be saved before they
are born.

24. Key Events, cont.
• As a result of the teachings of John Calvin, several
denominations were formed. They include
Puritans, Huguenots, and Presbyterians. Each of
these groups rejected the teachings of the Catholic
Church.
• While Luther originally meant to push the
Catholic Church to make changes, it was Calvin
who pushed people to reject Catholicism all
together and become Protestants.

25. The Counter Reformation
• The Catholic Church tried to prevent the
spread of Protestantism by reforming their
church from within.
• Church leaders met at the Council of Trent
to reform Catholic teachings and rules.
They rejected Protestant ideas.

26. Effects of the Reformation
1. Division in Europe between the
Protestants and Catholics – northern
Europe became mostly Protestant
while southern Europe remained
Catholic.

27. Effects of Reformation, cont.
2. Political Changes - a new interest in self-
government developed.
3.People became more curious about science and the
natural world.
4.People continued to disagree over the
Catholic/Protestant issue for decades, this includes
the fighting of several wars.
• These disagreements also lead to the colonization of
America as people look for religious freedom.

28. FOR THE TEST, you
need to study your
vocabulary and your
notes!!!