Renaissance and Italian City-States

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City-States

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Independent political units consisting of a city and its surrounding territory. Unlike centralized monarchies, Italian city-states governed themselves and competed for power and wealth.

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Republic

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A form of government where leaders are elected by citizens. Venice operated as a republic, electing a doge as their leader.

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Doge

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The elected leader of Venice who served for life. This position combined political leadership with ceremonial duties in the Venetian Republic.

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Mercenaries

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Professional soldiers who fought for pay rather than loyalty to a country. Francesco Sforza led mercenaries to conquer Milan.

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Trade Routes

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Established paths for commercial exchange between regions. Italian cities controlled crucial routes between Europe and Asia, bringing wealth and cultural exchange.

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Dowry

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Money or property that a woman's family gave to her husband's family upon marriage. This was a common practice in Renaissance family arrangements.

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Humanism

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An intellectual movement that emphasized human potential, individual worth, and secular (non-religious) themes while drawing inspiration from classical Greek and Roman texts.

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Secular

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Related to worldly rather than religious matters. Renaissance culture increasingly focused on secular themes alongside traditional religious subjects.

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Classical Values

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Ideas, principles, and artistic styles from ancient Greek and Roman civilizations that Renaissance thinkers sought to revive and apply to their own society.

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Liberal Studies

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An educational approach that included history, ethics, grammar, and arts, designed to create well-rounded individuals prepared for civic life.