The Renaissance Begins

Based on the meaning of the French word "renaissance," the period called the Renaissance refers to the

• rebirth of classical culture.
• restoration of basic human values.
• remainder of learning not yet lost.
• remembrance of better times.

How did the Crusades contribute to the Renaissance in Europe?

• Crusaders destroyed the libraries of Muslim scholars.
• Crusaders rebelled against the Roman Catholic Church.
• Crusaders developed an interest in painting and sculpture.
• Crusaders brought back learning from the East.

Which art had the greatest influence on Renaissance artists?

• early medieval art
• ancient Greek and Roman art
• medieval Islamic art
• ancient Chinese art

Suppose you could look at several paintings made in Italy before 1600. Which was most likely painted
during the Renaissance?

• one in which nature is important
• one in which people appear stiff
• one with a solid blue background
• one that looks two-dimensional

How did trade on the Silk Road help to cause the Renaissance?

• Armies from Europe were able to defeat the Mongols.
• Italian cities on the trade routes to the East became wealthy.
• Ideas of Chinese philosophers became popular in the West.
• Merchants paid painters to paint them in fine new silk clothes.

What economic change during the Renaissance made bankers more important?

• Jobs became more specialized.
• Craftspeople set out signs to advertise their services.
• People began to buy goods with money instead of bartering.
• Food for people in the cities began to be grown in the countryside.

Why did craftspeople become more important during the Renaissance?

• Universities hired them.
• They worked for feudal lords.
• They made stained glass for churches.
• Merchants traded their goods all over Europe.

Who would have been most likely to speak these words?

• a priest
• a patron
• a scholar
• a craftsperson

What is a major reason why the Renaissance began in northern and central Italy?

• Nobles there led the Crusades.
• Peasants there learned to read.
• City-states there became wealthy.
• Kings there fought one another.

Independent republics in Italy were governed by elected councils. Who often held the most power in those republics?

• rich merchants
• factory workers
• groups of priests
• guilds of painters