northern renaissance handout - ap european history the 14th and 15th century, northern europe had...

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Brooklyn Tech Mr. Trombetta A.P. European History The Northern Renaissance Wealth through trade eventually reached other parts of Europe, but its growth was much slower than it was among the Italian city-states. During the 14th and 15th century, northern Europe had few large cities, with most people living either in towns or rural areas. The feudal system was still in place, and Roman traditions and physical remnants were not as numerous as they were in Italy. However, as trade spread north and west, humanism also came to influence literature, art, and philosophy in the north. In Italy, cultural life centered on vibrant trade cities; in northern Europe, it was dominated by the courts of kings and princes. By the 16th century, northern universities became centers of humanistic study, gradually taking over the role royal and noble households had played earlier in educating the young. Meanwhile, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands were busy creating new world trade patterns across the Atlantic Ocean and by the end of the century, Britain and France had joined them. Just as in Italy, the confluence of economic, technological, social, political, and cultural change transformed life all over the continent by 1650. Northern Humanism (Christian Humanism) In the late 15th century, Italian Renaissance thought and ideals were spreading to the Low Countries, France, the Holy Roman Empire, and England, as students from those areas traveled to Italy to experience the “new learning”. The invention of a printing press with moveable type also meant that books were more readily available in many areas of the continent. By 1500, humanism was very influential in Northern Europe. In general, northern humanists differed from the Italian variety by their focus on the ancient texts of the Christian religion rather than on the writings of Greek and Roman antiquity. Like the Italian humanists, they studied Latin and Greek, but they applied their knowledge to editing the Bible and reading the writings of the Church Fathers. As a result, they directed the attention of learned men to the early history of Christianity rather than to ancient Greek and Roman history. Whereas secular and pagan themes received more attention in Italy, the Northern Renaissance had a distinctly religious character. Christian humanists did not entirely reject the ancient classical civilizations, but they believed that the best elements of classical and Christian cultures should be combined. As such, they stressed the use of reason, and they too were impatient with scholasticism, which refused to question the dogma of the church. Yet they also emphasized the Christian virtues of love, faith, and hope, and they were profoundly interested in the development of an ethical way of life. The excerpt below from Thomas More’s Utopia reflects his view of a perfect society that treats it citizens as equals and encourages humanist values: “The chief, and almost the only business of the political leaders, is to take care that no man may live idle, but that every one may follow his trade diligently: yet they do not wear themselves out with perpetual toil, from morning to night, as if they were beasts of burden, which as it is indeed a heavy slavery…but they dividing the day and night into twenty-four hours, appoint six of these for work; three of which are before dinner, and three after. They then sup, and at eight o’clock, counting from noon, go to bed and sleep eight hours. The rest of their time besides that is taken up in work, eating and sleeping, is left to every man’s discretion; yet they are not to abuse the interval to luxury and idleness, but must employ it in some proper exercise according to their various inclinations, which is for the most part reading. It is ordinary to have public lectures every morning before daybreak; at which none are obliged to appear but those who are marked out for literature; yet a great many, both men and women of all ranks, go to hear lectures of one sort of other, according to their inclinations. But if others, that are not made for contemplation, choose rather to employ themselves at that time in their trades, as many of them do, they are not hindered, but are rather commended, as men that take care to serve their country.”

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Page 1: Northern Renaissance Handout - AP European History the 14th and 15th century, northern Europe had few large cities, ... in northern Europe, ... Northern Renaissance Handout.docx

Brooklyn Tech Mr. Trombetta A.P. European History The Northern Renaissance Wealth through trade eventually reached other parts of Europe, but its growth was much slower than it was among the Italian city-states. During the 14th and 15th century, northern Europe had few large cities, with most people living either in towns or rural areas. The feudal system was still in place, and Roman traditions and physical remnants were not as numerous as they were in Italy. However, as trade spread north and west, humanism also came to influence literature, art, and philosophy in the north. In Italy, cultural life centered on vibrant trade cities; in northern Europe, it was dominated by the courts of kings and princes. By the 16th century, northern universities became centers of humanistic study, gradually taking over the role royal and noble households had played earlier in educating the young. Meanwhile, Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands were busy creating new world trade patterns across the Atlantic Ocean and by the end of the century, Britain and France had joined them. Just as in Italy, the confluence of economic, technological, social, political, and cultural change transformed life all over the continent by 1650. Northern Humanism (Christian Humanism) In the late 15th century, Italian Renaissance thought and ideals were spreading to the Low Countries, France, the Holy Roman Empire, and England, as students from those areas traveled to Italy to experience the “new learning”. The invention of a printing press with moveable type also meant that books were more readily available in many areas of the continent. By 1500, humanism was very influential in Northern Europe. In general, northern humanists differed from the Italian variety by their focus on the ancient texts of the Christian religion rather than on the writings of Greek and Roman antiquity. Like the Italian humanists, they studied Latin and Greek, but they applied their knowledge to editing the Bible and reading the writings of the Church Fathers. As a result, they directed the attention of learned men to the early history of Christianity rather than to ancient Greek and Roman history. Whereas secular and pagan themes received more attention in Italy, the Northern Renaissance had a distinctly religious character. Christian humanists did not entirely reject the ancient classical civilizations, but they believed that the best elements of classical and Christian cultures should be combined. As such, they stressed the use of reason, and they too were impatient with scholasticism, which refused to question the dogma of the church. Yet they also emphasized the Christian virtues of love, faith, and hope, and they were profoundly interested in the development of an ethical way of life. The excerpt below from Thomas More’s Utopia reflects his view of a perfect society that treats it citizens as equals and encourages humanist values:

“The chief, and almost the only business of the political leaders, is to take care that no man may live idle, but that every one may follow his trade diligently: yet they do not wear themselves out with perpetual toil, from morning to night, as if they were beasts of burden, which as it is indeed a heavy slavery…but they dividing the day and night into twenty-four hours, appoint six of these for work; three of which are before dinner, and three after. They then sup, and at eight o’clock, counting from noon, go to bed and sleep eight hours. The rest of their time besides that is taken up in work, eating and sleeping, is left to every man’s discretion; yet they are not to abuse the interval to luxury and idleness, but must employ it in some proper exercise according to their various inclinations, which is for the most part reading. It is ordinary to have public lectures every morning before daybreak; at which none are obliged to appear but those who are marked out for literature; yet a great many, both men and women of all ranks, go to hear lectures of one sort of other, according to their inclinations. But if others, that are not made for contemplation, choose rather to employ themselves at that time in their trades, as many of them do, they are not hindered, but are rather commended, as men that take care to serve their country.”