Renaissance Chapter 2 Flashcards
What does “Renaissance” mean and what language is it?
It is French for “rebirth”.
When was the Renaissance?
From the fourteenth THROUGH the sixteenth centuries. (Lasted until the 17th century.)
What happened during this era?
Europe emerged from the economic stagnation of the Middle Ages and experiences a time of financial growth. Also, and perhaps most importantly, the Renaissance was an age in which artistic, social, scientific, and political thought turned in new directions.
In what ways do you think the Polos’ worldview might have been different from the worldview of most people of the Middle Ages?
He got to experience different living conditions and saw an entirely different part of the world.
Where did the Polos travel?
Across Asia, but mainly on the silk road.
What was the silk road?
A set of routes that connected civilizations from the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean.
What did the silk road do?
It was used for trading and helped to exchange ideas and knowledge through international contact.
Trade between Italy and the East had been re-established several centuries before the Polos’ travels as a result of…
…a series of religious wars known as the Crusades.
What were important results of the Crusades? (2)
- Contact with Muslim civilizations.
2. Trade.
Who fought in the Crusades?
The Christians and the Muslims.
How come contact with Muslim civilizations was good for the Europeans?
The Muslim world was more advanced.
What did contact between the Europeans and Muslims expose them to?
New ways of thinking. It also introduced Europeans to different intellectual ideas and knowledge from other societies.
What did Crusaders do and what did that lead to?
They brought back many new goods that were not available in Europe. This led to tremendous demand and further trade between Europe and the East.
What kind of goods did the Crusaders bring back from the East? (6)
Oil, fruits, spices, luxury goods not available in Europe; precious jewels, rugs, and fabrics.
What was the most valuable/desirable good from the East?
Spices; in many cases, they were worth more than their weight in gold.
What happened to keep up with the demands of Europeans? When did this happen?
Merchants hired adventurers and sailors to open new trade routes. These new trade routes began a revival in business and shipping in the Western world. This was by the late Middle Ages.
What happened as a result of merchants?
The numbers of merchants and traders in Europe grew and so did their wealth. The merchants became a powerful new class outside the hierarchy of the feudal system. Their wealth brought them the power to influence leaders and led to a change in worldview. People began to see that it was possible to move outside of their class. Because of the increased trading, cities began to grow.
What were the largest cities in Europe by the 14th century? (4)
Paris, Florence, Venice, and Genoa.
What did the largest cities in Europe do?
They increased the demands for foods and other products and led to changes in the way people lived.
What did industries begin to specialize in?
Goods for trade, such as textiles, furniture, and handicrafts.