The Italian Renaissance

The Renaissance was a significant era in history that initially began in Italy in the 1300s and ultimately led to the Protestant Reformation. It had several aspects including a rebirth of culture, fundamentals in humanism, secularism, urbanization, and influential artists and writers. A major aspect of the Renaissance was humanism, the main form of education in this era. Its fundamentals included the worth of humans and the enjoyment of life, and this was a major part of what the Renaissance was about. Furthermore, urbanization, which is the movement into cities, and secularism, which is a greater focus on the current world, were also major aspects of this era. It began in Italy for many reasons including their prime location, their wealth,

“Humanism promoted the idea that man was the center of his own universe, and people should embrace human achievements in education, classical arts, literature, and science.” (https://www.history.com) Humanism also included the study of classical, Greco-Roman texts to influence one’s view of the world and was based on human interests, values, worth, and dignity. Humanism consisted of a worldlier perception on the world, which focused on the abilities of humans. Humanism was mostly secular; the will of God was less important during the Renaissance than the medieval period, and humanists believed God gave people choices and potential. The main subjects that humanism focused on included; philosophy, history, drama, and poetry. Humanists believed to enjoy life, that individuals are able to do anything, and that humans are the center of attention. Individuals were also supposed to take part in political roles in the

Scholars would gather there and brought many works of the Greeks and Romans with them. “Italians saw themselves as descendants of the Roman Empire and its achievements.” (https://www.brighthubeducation.com) They wanted to revive Roman culture through art, literature, and philosophy. Additionally, the remains from the Roman Empire that the people saw inspired Italians to create new designs of art, sculptures, and architecture based on what they saw.

In addition, the Renaissance started in Italy because most of Europe was destroyed by the Black Death. However, many Italian city-states survived the Black Death and wanted to imitate and learn from the Greeks and Romans.

Another reason the Renaissance started in Italy is because of money. Italian city-states became wealthy because of trade and banking. Patrons provided several necessities, such as funds and residences, to artists in order for them to create paintings, sculptures, literature, and architecture using their talents. The Catholic Church also contributed to the Renaissance started in Italy because they wanted to spend money to make Rome look more