Key Concepts of the Renaissance and Middle Ages

Front

Guilds

Back

Organizations of artisans or merchants who controlled the practice of their craft in a particular town during the Middle Ages.

Front

Humanism

Back

An intellectual movement during the Renaissance that focused on the study of classical texts, human values, and secular concerns.

Front

Feudalism

Back

A social system in medieval Europe where people worked and fought for nobles in exchange for protection and land.

Front

Crusades (4th Crusade)

Back

A series of religious wars sanctioned by the Latin Church in the medieval period, with the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) being notable for the sacking of Constantinople.

Front

Johann Gutenberg

Back

Inventor of the printing press, which revolutionized the way information was disseminated during the Renaissance.

Front

De Medici Family

Back

A powerful and influential Florentine family during the Renaissance, due to banking

Front

Bourgeoisie / Burghers

Back

The middle class in medieval European society, typically involved in commerce and trade.

Front

Renaissance

Back

A period of cultural, artistic, political, and economic 'rebirth' following the Middle Ages, characterized by an emphasis on classical learning and values.

Front

Patron

Back

A person who provides financial support for the arts, often commissioning works and supporting artists during the Renaissance.

Front

Secular

Back

Concerned with worldly rather than spiritual matters, a concept that gained prominence during the Renaissance.