The document summarizes key aspects and individuals of the Northern Renaissance as it spread from Italy through Europe in the 15th-16th centuries. Ideas from the Italian Renaissance spread north through increased trade, movement of scholars and artists, and the printing press, which Gutenberg invented and helped make books cheaper and more accessible. Notable figures discussed include Erasmus, whose writings criticized the Catholic Church; Sir Thomas More, who wrote the book Utopia; William Shakespeare, a famous English playwright; and Christine de Pisan, who wrote about women's roles. Artists like Albrecht Durer and Jan van Eyck helped advance techniques like realism and perspective in paintings.