Renaissance Essential Vocabulary
Directions: Using your textbook and the internet define the essential terms below. These terms should be summarized in your own words. Below I have given you two examples, one summarized from your textbook and the other from an internet source. This would be an example of a time that you would be able to use a site such as Wikipedia, but I think that the Khan Academy site is much better. Why can you use Wikipedia? You are not using these definitions in a scholarly paper, simply you must establish a based of knowledge in order to understand this time period. When you are in college and vigorously taking notes during a lecture on your computer your professor might use a term you are not familiar with, such as “Reformation.” In order to understand what your professor is talking about you should quickly look this term up and define it in your class notes. This is the majesty of the internet! Now go and establish a base of content specific vocabulary about the Renaissance!
From your textbook chapter (pgs. 410-422)
European Renaissance: (Rebirth) A period of time in Western Europe between 1300-1500. The Renaissance marked the transition from the Medieval period in Europe (the Dark Ages) to what we can consider the early “modern” western world. The Renaissance was a time period of creativity and social change inspired by intellectual thought and art. Artists of this time period were inspired by a reawakening of the classical thinkers of Greece and Rome, such as Homer Cicero, Virgil, Ovid, Plato, Socrates and Aristotle and a focus on the human experience rather than religion.
From Khan Academy
The Protestant (protest) Reformation (reform): Before the Protestant Reformation there was only one denomination of Christianity, what we now refer to as Roman Catholic. The Popes who commanded the Roman Catholic church were more like kings than religious leaders. It was well know that the Catholic Church was corrupt and the intellectual revolution inspired by the Renaissance drove scholars to seek emancipation from the Church’s corruption. Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation in 1517 by positing his “95 Theses” on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The theses listed Luther’s concerns about the corruption of the Catholic Church, specifically the selling of indulgences. These ideals spread throughout Western Europe and resulted in the formation of the Protestant Church.
Key Terms: Due by the end of class Tuesday, January 20th
The Human Experience:
Humanism:
The Humanities:
Realism:
Pious:
Machiavellian:
The Black Death:
The Printing Revolution:
Flemish:
Engraving:
Vernacular:
Utopia:
The Printing Press (1445):
The Gutenberg Bibles:
Inspiration: Due for homework by the beginning of class Thursday, January 22nd
Cicero:
Homer:
Virgil:
Ovid:
Socrates:
Plato:
Aristotle:
Averroes: