Renaissance lesson 2: background, humanism

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Today:

- Renaissance

- Humanism

Goal

You learn how 16th century thinking changed the world order and paved the way to today's modern society. 

Renaissance

Renaissance

• Renaissance = ‘rebirth’ 
• renewed interest in the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome
•  examples in art, literature and thought (humanism) 
• Theocentric (God) -> Anthropocentric (Mankind)
  
• Memento Mori -> Carpe Diem
•  Italy: 14th century
• England: 16th century

Renaissance

• Feeling of optimism
  

- Prospering economy (Queen Elizabeth I) 

- Growth of population

 - Progress in field of science

 - Growing literary 

Humanism

• School of philosophy / World-vision
• Optimistic, human-oriented and forward-looking view of life
• Individualistic
• ad fontes: to the sources

Humanists believed that it was possible to create an ideal society on earth. 

Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man

Consequences 

• Curiosity about the nature of the world (Copernicus)
• Exploration (Columbus - 1492)
• Cultural revival -> Art  (Da Vinci and Michelangelo)
• -> Literature (Shakespeare, Spenser, Milton)

Scientific experimentation
Copernicus proved that the earth revolved around the sun. Galileo Galilei discovered the telescope and much more

discovered America in 1492

Da Vinci and Michelangelo - drew upon the achievements of classical antiquity. Put your name to your work. 

England mainly in literature

the Reformation

Individualism, look back at the original source (bible), invention of printing press

> Question Organisation of the church

1517 - Martin Luther - 95 theses

But this was not the only reason why England broke free of the Roman church. It was as much political s it was cultural. 

BACKGROUND!