-The- Renaissance Period
By: Christina K.
The Renaissance was a time when political, scientific, social, and artistic thought were developing. The Middle Ages were coming to an end, and Europe was going through a time of financial growth. The word "Renaissance" means "rebirth" in French. This word really means economic and intellectual changes that happened between the 14th and 16th centuries in Europe. Click here for more information.
The Feudal Structure
In the Feudal System, peasants worked for nobles and lords by working the land. In return, the peasants got a share of land, protection, and a share of the crop they planted. Nobles worked for the king and lords worked for the nobles. This way, the king would always have supplies in case of an emergency.
Black Death
Between the years 1350 and 1450 tragedy struck Europe. The source? Rats. If a flea or other bug bites the infected rat, and the flea bites someone, that someone had the disease. In cities, Black Death (also known as the bubonic plague) spread so quickly half of the population of Europe was wiped out. The solution? Get out of the city and move to the country. But, unfortunately, only people wealthy enough could do so.
New Tools
During the Middle Ages, tools developed, and that went right on through the Renaissance. Of all of the simple and complex tools they used, one of the most important was called the astrolabe. It was used by sailors to help them find their way. To determine the latitude, people measured the distance between the sun and stars. This way, they could get an idea of where they were. Another favorite was the magnetic compass. People relied a lot on maps, too. But still, when all else failed, they could only rely on the North Star.
The Beginning of Trade
Later on in time, sailors started to go farther than they had gone before. For traders, sailing was easier and faster than going by land, and besides, thieves mugged people often. Cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, peppercorns, and other spices were traded in the east. Also from the east came fine gems and precious silk. Investors often paid for these trading voyages.
The Invention of the Printing Press
In the year 1445, a man named Gutenberg invented the printing press. This was a very important invention; before the printing press, all the books were written by hand, and that took a very, very long time. This invention also lowered the prices of books. Thank goodness for Gutenberg!
Need of Books
During the Middle Ages, books cost a lot. Most of the books were written in Latin, for that was known as the Language of Scholarship. Now in the Renaissance, people could afford the books and demanded them to be written in their own language. Also, people wanted a multitude of books to choose from. Romances, atlases, and almanacs were being made in this time. As people wanted more and more books, people started to trade more and more books.
Changes in Architecture
During the Renaissance, artists started using different designs in architecture. There was more symmetry, shape, and order. They were inspired by the ancient Greeks with their art and architecture. They used a shape of a leaf or spiral shell on buildings. Artists also used the writings of Vitruvius, a famous Roman Architect, as a guide for the decoration on their buildings. The result of this change in architecture was a knowledge in the beauty in a building.
Florence, Italy- Where It All Started
While this era occurred in most of Europe, there was a starting point. It was the Italian city of Florence. In the year 1425 Florence was a very exciting place to be. Why? Well, there was over 60,000 people in that one city! Just think, you would be totally squished! In fact, 12 artists brought the fame to the Renaissance.
That's
all folks!!
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