1.1 - Early renaissance Flashcards
How did the transition from the middle ages to the renaissance go?
The transition was gradual. Intense religiosity of the middle ages persisted into the renaissance, though it came to coexist with : more worldly philosophy, more secular outlook.
Name 4 broad changes that developed during the Renaissance.
development of nation states, advent of commercial capitalism, emergence of the middle class, rise of nationalist thought.
What happened because of the European exploration of the Americas.
Was abetted by scientific and technological developments, especially in navigation. Invention of movable type (which allowed for printing) expanded the world of learning.
What was classical humanism
Reinvigoration of classical learning based on the literary and philosophical writings of the Greeks and Romans.
On what had the influence of the Greco-Roman antiquity on Renaissance Europe an impact? Name 5 things.
Social life, political life, diplomatic life, education and the arts.
Why were the Arabic scholars of great importance in preserving ancient Greek scholarship?
they enabled European scholars like Petrarch and Boccaccio to benefit from their labors.
Across which 3 spectrums were changes developing in Italy?
social, political and economic : significant urbanization, increased political stability, economic expansion, increasing contact with other societies.
What is Renaissance accoring to the Italians of that time?
The period marked a radical break from the past and a reinvention of the civilization and ideals of classical Greece and Rome.
Name 3 characteristics of the Renaissance.
Interest in classical art, literature, law and ideals.. interest in the individual person (emerging from the anonymity of the middle ages).. new fascination with nature and the physical world.
Which city-states had grown powerful in Italy during the Renaissance?
Kingdom of Naples in the South, church states around Rome and in the North: duchy of Milan and republics of Venice and Florence.
How did Florence become the center of trade?
Was located on the main road connecting Rome with the North. European banking had been established with credit operations available to suport and spur on an increase in trade.
How was Florence ruled?
Was ruled by its guilds (arti). The 7 major guilds, originally ran the civic government. By the middle of the 14th century all the guilds had achieved some measure of political voice and the city prided itself on its representative government and its status as a republic.
By the 15th century Florence needed a leader with enough political power. How did this happen?
The division between those who favored the holy roman empire and those who favored the popes continued and Florence needed a powerful leader to stop the feuding.
How did the Medici family lead Florence to its position as the cultural center of Renaissance Europe in the 15th century?
- Family had begun to accumulate its fortune by lending money to other Florentines out of income derived from its 2 wool workshops. 2. Giovanni di Bicci de Medici multiplied this fortune by setting up branche banks in major Italian cities and creating close financial allegiances with the papacy in Rome. 3. Allegiances tended to switch the balance of power. 4. Made secular concerns more important than religious ones to the Vatican.
How did Cosimo de Medici (son of Giovanni) led the family to a position of preminence, not only in Florence but throughout Europe?
- Built first public library since ancient times and stocked it with ancient manuscripts and books (works of Plato and Aristotle). 2. Employed virtually every major Italian artist.
