THE RISE OF THE

RENAISSANCE

Essential Questions:

What was the Renaissance?

What factors led to the rise of the Renaissance?

The Renaissance

Western Europe emerged from the

Middle Ages during an era known as the Renaissance

From 1300 to 1600, Western Europe experienced a rebirth in trade, art, learning, and a return of Greco-

Roman ideas; “Renaissance” means “rebirth”

During the Renaissance, Europeans developed new ideas in art, government, and human potential

The Renaissance

The Renaissance marked the

beginning of the “Modern Era”

What changed during the Middle Ages that gave rise to the Renaissance?

Trade and Cities

Government

Religion

Human Potential

What was trade like during the Middle Ages?

What were things like in the Renaissance?

A side effect of the Crusades was the increase of European demand for luxury goods from Asia

Italian merchants began meeting the demand for

trade in Europe

As a result, Italian cities and a wealthy middle class

began to form in Italy

The most important Italian city was Florence, where vast wealth from

trade sparked the Renaissance

A new middle class of bankers, merchants, and skilled craftsmen gained lots of power

The Medici family were wealthy bankers who used their wealth to turn Florence into

Italy’s most artistic city

What changed during the Middle Ages that gave rise to the Renaissance?

Trade and Cities

Government

Religion

Human Potential

What was government like in the Middle Ages?

What was government like in the Renaissance?

Kings were able to tax merchants and gain much wealth; kings used their wealth to build armies and strong nations

This hurt the power of the feudal lords; power went back to being concentrated around kings, not shared with numerous

lords; feudalism declined

From 1337 to 1453, England and France began a series of conflicts over territory that would be

called the Hundred Years War

During the war, nationalism (loyalty to one’s nation) increased as people became more loyal to their king and

nation, rather than their local lords

ENGLAND

FRANCE

France and England would fight for a number of years, stop fighting for a time, then break

the uneasy peace treaties and fight again

This cycle of fighting, a brief time of peace, then fighting again would continue between England and France for over a hundred years (hence, the name)

The most legendary figure from the Hundred Years War was Joan of Arc, a

French peasant girl

Claiming that God told her to do so in a vision, Joan became a soldier and led the French to numerous

victories over the English

At age 19, she was captured and executed,

being burned at the stake

Joan of Arc not only became a legend but also

a saint in the Roman Catholic Church

During the Hundred Years War, new military weapons decreased the power of feudal lords and knights

Europeans’ discovery of Chinese gunpowder led to the development of cannons, which

helped armies penetrate the walls of castles

Another new weapon was the longbow, which allowed soldiers to shoot accurately up to 300 yards

These new weapons and

new tactics (like using lightly-

armored mounted troops) effectively ended the importance

of knights as military force

What changed during the Middle Ages that gave rise to the Renaissance?

Trade and Cities

Government

Religion

Human Potential

What was religion like in

the Middle Ages?

What was religion like during the

Renaissance?

In the late Middle Ages, the Pope and the Catholic Church instigated a series of “holy wars” (called the Crusades) to drive the Muslims out of the Holy Land

Ultimately, the Crusades were a failure and resulted in the decreasing of power and

influence for the Catholic Church; these failed holy wars also helped end the feudal system

Despite having less influence,

the Catholic Church still

remained an important part

of peoples’ lives and the popes

remained important

religious and political leaders

What changed during the Middle Ages that gave rise to the Renaissance?

Trade and Cities

Government

Religion

Human Potential

What was expected of people during the Middle Ages?

What was expected of people during the Renaissance?

During the Middle Ages,

peasants did not own land and

had no options for their lives

other than remaining loyal to a feudal lord

and working within the

manorial system

During the Middle Ages,

peasants did not own land and

had no options for their lives

other than remaining loyal to a feudal lord

and working within the

manorial system

The rise of trade during the Renaissance gave people options to make money and pursue different lives

Peasants could now leave the manor and move to cities to work as merchants or skilled artisans

Another reason for the decline of the manorial system was the spread of the Plague, also

known as the Black Death

In 1347, a trade ship arrived in Italy from Asia;

in addition to Asian goods, the ship was carrying rats

infested with Plague-infected fleas

The Plague swept quickly throughout Europe along trade routes

The Black Death

Attempted “cures” for the Plague

Prayer IsolationBathing in urine

Leeches

Placing dead animals in the home

Pomanders (perfumes)

The Plague killed 25 million people in five years (one-third of Europe’s population)

The Plague caused a labor shortage; those that survived could demand higher wages and more rights

During the Renaissance, people had more options than ever before which led to

a belief that people can accomplish anything

Individuals became the center of attention during the Renaissance

Social status was based on wealth and ability, not birthright

A new way of thinking began during

the Renaissance called Humanism

Humanists studied the “classical” ideas of Greece and Rome

and believed that education could

make the world a better place

What was expected of men and women in the Renaissance?

The “ideal man” was well-educated, cultured, could

dance, write poetry, and play music; (called a “Renaissance

Man”)The “ideal woman” should have

the same qualities (cultured, intelligent) as men but should

not seek fame or political power

Renaissance women were better educated but had fewer rights

than Medieval women

Closure Activity: Visual Metaphor

■On your notes, complete the visual metaphor

■Use the word bank to label each aspect of the image

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Originally created byBrooks Baggett

Revamped by Christopher Jaskowiak