Italian Renaissance Historical Snapshot

According to the reading, how did the Black Plague contribute to the start of the Italian Renaissance?

• It made people desperate to explore and live their lives to the fullest

• It left European farmland, buildings, machines, and gold for the survivors to use and build upon

• It made many people curious about how it was so contagious

• It made people question the church

How did the location of Italy make it the center of Renaissance Era commerce?

• The Silk Road reopened, making Italy's major cities such as Venice and Genoa commerce points for merchants from Africa, Greek-speaking countries to the east, the Middle East, and Asia.

• It had the safest harbors of the Mediterranean countries, making it the prime location and stop for sailors and explorers.

• Italy was the last major stop for royal families on their way to vacation homes in Asia Minor, and they commissioned many artistic and scientific endeavors.

• The Roman Catholic church was based in Italy and was far wealthier than royals, and they kept the wealth local.

How does the meaning of the word "Renaissance" reflect what occurred during this time period?

• "Renaissance" means "rebirth", as the people of this time rebirthed and expanded upon Ancient Roman and classical Greek ideas.

• "Renaissance" means "remind", as the people of this time reminded themselves of life before the plague and used it to hope and build their future.

• "Renaissance" means "of our neighbor", as the people of this time explored upon Middle Eastern and Asian ideas.

• None of the above

Which of the following city-states was NOT mentioned in the reading as specializing in commerce during the Italian cities' manufacturing specialties?

• Venice specialized in high-quality glass

• Milan developed weapons and the finest silks

• Genoa held a sailors school and developed specialized ships and fine pottery

• Florence offered exquisitely woven wool clothes

Choose the meaning of the word "benefit" in the following excerpt: "Florence became known as the banking city, exchanging currencies and offering loans with interest. The Medici Family leveraged this need to their benefit by strategically taking control of banking in Florence."

• The good of someone or something

• A cause of harm or damage

• Worst case scenario

• None of the above

Choose the sentence that BEST supports the topic sentence, "Much like its origins during Ancient times and the Italian Renaissance, humanism encourages curiosity and experimentation."

• "Ideas and ancient texts from the Roman Empire and other major cultures also began to surface, offering a glance back at classical theories and morphing into humanistic ideals."

• "Humanism is the belief that individual people all have worth and potential."

• "Renaissance scholars examined and improved subjects such as art, literature, speech giving, and history, all which are called the humanities in modern colleges and higher education institutions."

• "This worldview also reconnected with nature and opened the door for mindful study of everything around them, not just the religious subjects of the Middle Ages."

Select the two major fine art items used by Italian Artist Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

• Perspective techniques to create three-dimensional images and oil-based paints, made with oil and color pigments

• Perspective techniques to create three-dimensional images and a lime-based plaster, or surface cement

• Oil-based paints, made with oil and color pigments, and human hair based brushes

• Oil-based paints, made with oil and color pigments, and glass blowing techniques from the specialty of Venice manufacturers

What did Renaissance writers such as Dante and Niccolo Machiavelli do to pave the way for more people to read and enjoy their works?

• Taught and employed scholars to copy their writings to distribution

• Rewrote classical Roman and Greek works with modern language so it was better understood

• Wrote scripts of classical literature for Italian theaters to perform

• Wrote their works in their common languages instead of the Church's Latin

Why was German Johannes Gutenberg's printing press such a major Renaissance achievement?

• It significantly increases the production and availability of books and pamphlets

• It sent writings across the globe faster

• It stopped the Church from sending private messages

• It made signing treaties easier for monarchs

According to the reading, Renaissance mathematics affected three major areas of study. Which of the following was NOT one of them?

• Science

• Astronomy, and thus maps

• Architecture

• Communication