REN - Renaissance Module Overview

 

The Renaissance

Introduction

In the 1800's, historian Jacob Burckhardt designated the Renaissance as a break from the Middle Ages, one that was necessary and positive in order to move culture forward. His work, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy, was the first to effectively study the culture of the Renaissance. In that work, and since then, many have come to find the Renaissance as the period that represents the modernization of Europe - its ideals, politics, society, and culture served to shape European History into the present.

The very essence of the Renaissance lifestyle was the emphasis on the accomplishment and value of the individual. The Medieval blind obedience to authority, particularly to the Church, becomes less and less a factor in Renaissance society and mores. The emphasis shifts from religious preoccupation to secular values. Once the Renaissance values and ideals took a strong hold on the Italian city-states, the movement began to spread throughout Northern and Western Europe. While the spread of Renaissance ideals is typically labeled as a separate period (Northern Renaissance), it is in reality just a continuation of the Italian movement. There is one significant characteristic of the Northern Renaissance which sets it apart from the Italian version: a stronger emphasis on religion and less of an interest in the classical cultures. The humanism practiced in the North was dubbed Christian Humanism. The Christian Humanists used the same techniques in studying the accomplishments of man (analysis of classical writings, languages, and style) but much of their study was dedicated to reforming the church and its practices. It espoused the belief that, through education, man could bring about the fundamental changes needed to restore the church to its original intent. 

Painting - Primavera by Botticelli

Primavera by Sandro Botticelli

 

Essential Questions

  • What factors resulted in the Italian Renaissance beginning in Italy?
  • Identify the changes in art, architecture, sculpture, and literature brought about as a result of the Italian Renaissance.
  • Compare the political and social make up of the Italian city-states.
  • How did the role of the Church change throughout the 14th and 15th centuries? Was the change more dramatic in the Italian states or the rest of Europe?
  • What long and short term factors resulted in the decline of the Church's power base?
  • Why is The Prince considered one of the most significant works resulting from the Renaissance?
  • What is the concept of "Virtu" and how does it factor into the new philosophy of humanism?
  • How did the concept of individualism impact the women and lower classes of the Italian city-states, if at all?
  • Humanists of the Italian Renaissance held which values? What groups and influences were significant to humanist thought and value?
  • How was the Northern Renaissance different from the Italian Renaissance?  How was it the same?
  • What were the goals of the Christian Humanists?
  • Who were the most influential of the Christian Humanists?  What were their most famous works?
  • Who were some of the most famous of artists of the Low Countries?  What was the typical theme of their works?
  • Who were some of the most famous writers of the period?  What were some of their works?

 

Textbook Assignment and Unit Review Form

As you work through this module, be certain to read the Renaissance chapter in your textbook. As you are reading, you may wish to jot down notes in the unit review form. Please pay close attention to the cultural and political changes that take place during the Renaissance. This is for your notes, not to submit.

Click here to download a copy of the unit review form. Links to an external site.

 

Key Terms and People

There are several people and items you need to look over for this module. Be sure to download the ID list (linked below) - EVEN if you do not plan on defining them for your notes. This is for your notes, not to submit. You need to look over the list of terms to see what you will need to pay particular attention to in this module.

Click here to download a copy of the ID List for this module. Links to an external site.

The presentation below is helpful in seeing some of the more important people and terms, but is by no means a definitive list.

 

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.