Italian+Renaissance

Unit 5 & 6

The Italian Renaissance, which began in northern Italy around 1400 CE, was one of the key turning points in the history of the world. It marked the beginnings of Western European rise as a major power on the world stage. The Renaissance was marked by the introductions of a handful of key concepts. The first was mercantilism, which inspired the expansion and exploration of European nations, such as Britain, Portugal, Dutch, and Spain, both eastward and westward. The second was the sense of individualism, where an individual's achievements were admired and celebrated instead of those of a body of people. The third, which was related to individualism, was the celebration of man himself. This introduction of a degree of secularism into art had a major affect, prompting works such as Michelangelo's David and inspiring great thinkers such as Leonardo da Vinci.

Sources:
 * University of Tennessee/Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/r/renaiss.htm
 * Wikimedia Commons (Image): http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/The_Last_Supper_pre_EUR.jpg

Created by: Dirk Gadsden (11 Dec. 2008) Edited by Elizabeth Thompson 12/11/08