10.1 Italian Renaissance

How did Renaissance humanists differ from medieval thinkers?

• They focused solely on religious subjects and emphasized individual achievements.

• They rejected the classical works from Greece and Rome, focusing their work on Biblical studies.

• They were interested in inquiry and exploration, as well as the idea that humans could perfect themselves.

• They looked to the classical works from Greece and Rome, focusing on a narrow, specialized area of study.

What was one economic effect of the Renaissance?

• Increased trade led to thriving Italian banks.

• The Roman Catholic Church gave money to artists.

• Wealthy Italian merchants invested in improving Muslim port cities.

• Wealthy families like the Medicis purchased ancient treasures of Athens.

What style influenced the work of the architect Filippo Brunelleschi?

• A Gothic style that created orderly buildings.

• Classical forms from ancient Greece and Rome.

• Medieval designs that emphasized religious themes.

• A blend of Gothic and Medieval styles that created uniform buildings.

What was a political impact of Machiavelli’s book, The Prince?

• It gave courtiers political and social ideals to follow.

• It made people reconsider views of government and political power.

• It encouraged citizens in Italy to oppose corruption and oppression.

• It led to the formation of a new government in Italy.

Look at the map showing land areas controlled by Spain and those controlled by Italian city-states. Based on the map, what was one reason that the Renaissance began in Italy rather than in Spain?

• Italy was closer to Greece and its classical architecture.

• Spain had little contact with the outside world.

• Spain was not as united as Italy.

• Italy’s trading centers had direct access to knowledge preserved in the Muslim world.

This picture shows the artist Michelangelo in front of his sculpture of Moses. Which new idea used by Renaissance artists is demonstrated by the sculpture?

• use of the vernacular

• use of Gothic style

• use of realism

• use of religious themes

Leonardo da Vinci is often referred to as a true “Renaissance Man.” Why has he come to symbolize the spirit of the era?

• His paintings Mona Lisa and The Last Supper are superlative examples of expressionism and perspective, and are the most famous of the era.

• His scientific works showed a level of genius that was confirmed by his prediction of technologies that would not exist for centuries.

• He excelled at everything he did, bringing him in line with the heroic intellectual stature of the ancient Greek gods who helped inspire the Renaissance.

• His interests and body of work spanned many subjects, media, and disciplines, reflecting the quest for knowledge and the spirit of creative adventure that embodied the Renaissance era.

This painting by Raphael of a gathering of great people from different periods is called School of Athens. In which way is it a reflection of Renaissance ideas?

• It portrays a biblical scene but places it in a Renaissance setting.

• It celebrates classical heritage but also acknowledges Renaissance artists and thinkers.

• It shows Gothic style and Renaissance techniques such as perspective.

• It commemorates a historic debate in Athens that was frequently discussed by Renaissance thinkers.

Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of this excerpt? “How we live is so different from how we ought to live that he who studies what ought to be done rather than what is done will learn the way to his downfall rather than to his preservation.” —Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince

• A successful ruler must be observant and practical rather than idealistic.

• A successful ruler must be idealistic to overcome his opponents.

• A successful ruler must consult his teachers to make decisions.

• A successful ruler knows that his enemies will defer to him.

Cite evidence in this passage that shows how Pico della Mirandola synthesizes medieval and Renaissance worldviews.

• He cites others to support his assertion that “man is the most fortunate of all creatures,” which a medieval writer would not have done.

• He believes the stars are living beings, saying that they envy humankind’s rank on the chain of being just as the beasts do.

• He uses reason (“after thinking a long time”) to reconcile a humanist view with the medieval idea of the chain of being.

• He expresses a belief that angels live among the stars and view man as a being to be envied in the world.