Renaissance- Causes and Why it began in Italy

Six causes of the Renaissance

1. Interest in literacy 2. Patrons for the artists 3. New outlook on life- glorification of the individual 4. Change of focus from birth to ability 5. Church and Feudalism in decline 6. Invention of printing press

What was the Renaissance?

A rebirth of interest in the classical civilizations of Ancient Greece and Rome

What did the Renaissance leaders consider the Middle Ages to be?

A wasteland

1. Access to studies of Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was in Italy and leaders had access to the art, architecture, and literacy and historical troves, as well as to the philosophical and governmental structure of the Roman Republic

How were patrons of the artists a cause for the Renaissance?

As merchants accumulated much wealth, they had extra money to loan to talented young artists to help develop their skills- these merchants became patrons for the artists

3. Commerce Cities

Commerce Cities such as Genoa and Venice gained great wealth from trade in the Near East (Levant), especially in China along the Silk Road. This wealth was used to financially support the movement

5. Library of Baghdad

Crusaders discovered the great library of Baghdad which contained great manuscripts of classical Greece and Rome, and wealth merchants bought these for the movement

7. Feudalism never took root

Feudalism never took a significant root in Italy, so it was easier to develop new ideas

6. Florence

Florence was the home for some of the greatest talent the world had known. It was the home to the first constitution

What was the emphasis of birth to ability?

It no longer mattered what family you were born into, one was now judged by your abilities

4. Patrons of the Arts

Patrons on the arts such as the families De Medici and Pitti in Florence and Sfroza in Milan financially supported young artists to work freely

How did the new interest in literacy affect the Renaissance?

New emphasis on literacy bc commerce was replacing the old feudal system, so to be literate helped one be a successful merchant- two core areas were math and fluency in languages

How was the new outlook on life different?

Some people wanted to change their outlook on life, moving away from a life centered on faith to a more secular view point. The Middle Ages stressed devotion to salvation of one's soul and centered on the glorification of God. These people from the Modern Period wanted to focus on the glorification of the individual and enjoyment of life in this world

2. Black Plague

The Black Plague ended in Italy earlier than any other part of Europe, giving the leaders the opportunity to work without interruption

"Maker of the Modern Man"

The Renaissance was called this bc it opened the Modern Period away from the Middle Ages

Reasons why the Renaissance began in Italy

The following cards are the reasons

How were Feudalism and the Church in decline?

The great two medieval institutions were in decline. The Church suffered from the great disputes of popes getting involved in secular affairs, such as Pope Gregory VII with Henry IV of the Holy Roman Empire, and Pope Innocent III taking England away from King John and returning it to him as a fief, effectively making King John his vassal, and the struggle between Pope Boniface and Philip IV of France that led to the Great Schism. Feudalism, a multifaceted institution, including military, political, social, and economic aspects, was in decline as these aspects were erased by the rise of towns and use of gunpowder.

How was the printing press effective in the Renaissance?

This invention by John Gutenberg was a crucial cause bc books became more available to more people and the ideas of the Renaissance spread. The city of Venice had the most printing companies in Europe, with the Aldine Press being the most famous