The Italian Renaissance

Key Terms and PeopleMarco Polo: Trader from Venice in the 1200’s who

traveled from Europe to China, lived with the Mongols, and told Europeans of Asian goods and ideas never heard of before.

Key Terms and PeopleRenaissance:“Rebirth” of art and literature from ancient

Greece and Rome. This time period began in Florence, Italy, and followed the Middle Ages in Europe. (1300-1600).

Humanism:A way of thinking and learning that stresses

the importance of human abilities, actions, and achievements.

Key Terms and PeopleDante Alighieri:An Italian Renaissance politician and poet

who wrote in Italian.

Niccolo Machiavelli:An Italian Renaissance politician and writer

who wrote The Prince—gave leaders in Florence advice on how they should rule.

Key Terms and PeopleMichelangelo:An Italian Renaissance Master painter, poet,

and sculptor.

Leonardo Da Vinci:True genius of the Renaissance---expert

painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, engineer, town planner, and map maker.

Key Terms and PeoplePerspective: a way of showing depth and distance on a flat

surface.

People in the background of a painting are shown smaller than people in the front.

Sharper colors are used for objects seen up close, while distant images are made to look hazier

Perspective in The Last Supper

What were some positive results of the Black Death?*People who survived the Plague used

farmland, buildings, ships, machines, and gold (things not damaged by the Plague) to raise more food and create new products.

*Wages rose as workers in short supply demanded higher pay-- moved to towns, became merchants, craftsmen, and traders--- Europe’s economy began to grow again.

What does this have to do with “Supply and Demand?”As more goods became available, prices went

down and trade increased. More new products became available in European markets.

Major Trading Cities of the Italian Renaissance

FlorenceLocation: N. Central Italy

Importance: SpecializationWealth in this city began with the wool trade.

Bankers in Florence kept money from merchants all over Europe. The bankers earned money by making loans and charging interest.

The greatest of the Florence bankers were the Medici family.

Florence Close-up

MilanLocation: Northwest Italy

Importance: SpecializationManufacturing city during the Renaissance.

Weapons and silks were produced here.

VeniceLocation: Northeast Italy

Importance: Port city on the Adriatic Sea. Merchant ships

brought spices and other luxury goods from Asia to enter Europe here.

Venice specialized in the production of glass.

Venice

GenoaLocation: Northwest Italy

Importance:Port city on the Northwestern side of the

Italian peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea. Merchant ships brought spices and other luxury goods from Asia to enter Europe here.

Tell one reason the Silk Road was important.Products for trading went from East to West

and trade between Europe and Asia grew.

Who were the Medici’s?The Medici’s were the richest family in

Florence during the Renaissance. They owned a lot of banks, ruled Florence, and beautified the city.

Renaissance means:Rebirth

Why is the word human contained in the term humanism?

Humanism stresses the exploration of human activities and abilities.

Which is better—a ruler to be loved or a ruler to be feared? Tell why.According to Machiavelli, it is safer to be

feared than loved because fear is sustained by a dread of punishment that is always effective. Love is broken whenever people see a way to benefit themselves or take advantage.

OR

Classical refers to the cultures of Greece and Rome

Tell what Dante Alighieri did differently.

He wrote in Italian (the people’s language). He believed that Italian was just as good as Latin.

What did Niccolo Machiavelli believe?He believed that to be successful, rulers had

to focus on the “here and now”, not on theories about how to rule. He believed that rulers had to be ruthless to get what they wanted.

What book did he write?The Prince

MichelangeloArchitect, poet, sculptor, painter

The David

Leonardo Da VinciArchitect, inventor, engineer, town planner,

map maker, expert painter, sculptor, studied plants and animals

Wrote notes backwards in his Sketchbook.