By: John McGrory
What was the Renaissance? | When and where did the Renaissance begin?
Influences of the Renaissance | Art and Architecture | Music | Literature | Math and Science
How the Renaissance affects us | Works Cited
Renaissance means “rebirth” in French. It refers to a period in Europe’s Middle Ages when the Greek and Roman writings were revised. The period was characterized by the Greeks and Romans.
When and where did the Renaissance begin?
The Renaissance occurred around the 1400s through the 1700s. It occurred first in Italy and then moved to Northern Europe. The place in Italy was the city called Florence.
The scholars who were in charge of school were the most influential. The scholars taught about all things and influenced Europe to grow in knowledge and wisdom. They taught about philosophy, humanism, art mathematics, literature, science, and many more subjects.
Leonardo da Vinci lived in Florence, Italy during the mid-Renaissance. He painted masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and about his studies of anatomy. He is considered the greatest genius that ever lived. I chose this person because the way his mind was thinking was amazing back in that day and time.
William Byrd lived in England from 1540 to 1623. He has written many sacred compositions for the church and the Queen. He was an organist and a choirmaster. I chose this person because he was important to the royal family and the church in England.
Niccolo Machiavelli lived in Italy around the early 1500s. He wrote a book called The Prince. I chose this person because he wrote a book that gave rulers advice about how to rule.
Galileo was born on February 15, 1564 in Pisa. He discovered gravity and invented many useful things like the telescope and the proportional compass. He is called the father of modern astronomy, the father of modern physics, and the father of science. I chose this person because he has contributed a lot to technology.
How the Renaissance affects us
One event is when Marco Polo traveled the Silk Road to China. Trade has now increased between countries. One discovery is when the Europeans became curious about the Chinese wealth and wanted things that China had. One decision is when people decided to let laymen teach instead of clergymen. It influences the way people think, live, and do other things like art, architecture, literature, math, and science. The printing press has a major impact on the world today.
Burstein, Stanley M.. World History Medieval to Early Modern Times. Student. Orlando: Rinehart and Winston, 2006.
23 AUG 2004. VirRen Team. 25 Apr 2007 <http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Renaissance/University/Inventions/Inventions.html>.
"Galileo Galilei." Wikipedia. 20 Apr 2007. 30 Apr 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo>
"William Byrd." Wikipedia. 24 Apr 2007. 30 Apr 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Byrd>