Renaissance

Rebirth indeed! All sorts of new ideas in the arts, sciences, and literature. Queen Elizabeth had quite an influence in Britain, but don't forget the rest of Europe.  __**Art**__
 * Overview** The Renaissance artists wanted to create art that showed human beauty and happiness. Renaissance art is a lot more life-like than that of the Middle Ages. Renaissance artists often experimented wih differences in perspective, as a result, their paintings and works of art have depth. Painters also developed other techniques including studying light, shawdow, and human anatomy. The beginning of Renaissance art is credited to Giotto di Bondone. Underlying these changes in artist method was an overall desire to make things appear beautiful. Humanism had a lot to do with this shift.



__Humanism__


Humanism was the predominant social philosophy during the Renaissance. This philosophy saw a shift from religion explaining everything that occurs to a more scientific approach. This growing secular attitude began to shape the modern world and led the people of the Renaissance to look for scientific answers to their questions instead of looking to religion. Humanism is often thought of as the midway point between Medieval supernaturalism and the modern day scientific mentality. In other words, the people of the Renaissance were suspended between their faith and their newly found reason. They began to appreciate worldly pleasures and to think more about themselves and express themselves as individuals.

__Lifestyle__


During the Renaissance, the man would work out of the house, caring for the fields or tending to merchant shops. The Renaissance woman would stay home and take care of the children and the house. Once the children were old enough, they would most often work with their father and help contribute to the families funds. A typical family would usually own a small house with only a couple of rooms on a plot of land. They normally had to share a single bed and the family as a whole owned very few material items. The food they ate was largely what they could grow and catch. This food was largely the same as in the Middle Ages until Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492. This discovery supplied new foods to the European households. Some of these crops, such as corn and potatoes, revolutionized European farming. Feasts were very popular in the Renaissance as a means of food for special occasions. It was common to serve large and small game birds, root vegetables, and fruit would be served as a dessert of sorts.






Architecture__** During the Middle ages life was very much associated with religion and since many people could not read, sculptors designed buildings with sculptures of biblical stories on pillars or the walls etc. So, as the Renaissance began and religion became less important people began living their lives more on individual desires. Architecture began drifting from a religious design to, actually, a rebirth of Roman and Greek design, however other materials were used such as brick; consequently making red a common color in renaissance buildings. There was a great emphasis on symmetry with columns and pillars as well as arches and domes. This innovation began in Florence by a man named Filippo Brunelleschi and eventually spread all throughout Europe. Through architecture many artists were able to express their imaginative views and less of the views of the church. A new system of proportion was used when building, which created a sense of harmony. Buildings usually were decorated with statues and paintings or other aesthetic designs, and cathedrals usually had domes; often with painted ceilings and walls.
 * __[[image:architecture_1.jpg width="144" height="208"]]
 * __Famous Buildings:__**
 * St. Peter's Bassilica
 * Sistine Chapel
 * Chateau de Chambord
 * Banqueting House

Science __Overview__ ==During the Renaissance there were large advances in Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Geography, Manufacturing and Math. The invention of the printing would make education in these areas much more affordable for the common man. Humanists favored human-centered subjects including politics, history, and applied mathmatics. There were many groundbreaking scientists who challenged accepted views of Science and the Earth we live in.==

__**Music: [[file:Music.pptx]]**__
**__ Literature __

Overview** Literature was influenced by the artistic and cultural Renaissance. The change in literature began with the move away from the Medieval Middle English literature to the more recognizable Elizabethan literature. Much literature was influenced by the classics as well as optimistic forward-thinking approach of humanism. The study of classical poets led to the adaption of their verse forms and systems of metre. Nearly 10,000 new words were added to the English language, mainly from Latin. The development of the printing press led to a communication revolution and increased literacy.

**Famous and Influential Author**
 * William Shakespeare-** Shakespeare influenced every generation of writers since his death. Widely regarded as the greatest writer of all time, Shakespeare transformed English theater by expanding expectations about what could be acomplished through characterization, plot, language, and genre. Shakespeare is the most quoted writer in the history of the English speaking world. He coined many common phrases that are still used today.
 * Famous Work-**
 * Macbeth
 * Romeo and Juliet
 * King Lear
 * Hamlet


 * __ Religion __**

The religion of a country was dependent upon the religion of its monarch. In England, monarchs were of two major Christian denominations: Catholic and Protestant. Protestants were born out of the Catholicism during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Martin Luther and the movement's many other originators did not agree with all Catholic doctrine such as the power of the Pope, the sacraments, and thoughts on purgatory amongst other things.

During a time when Humanism was picking up momentum, clergymen and traditionalists fought to keep the public's hearts on the side of the church. Galileo Galilei, an Italian philosopher and scientist, defended the theory of heliocentricism. This theory, which originated from the ideas of Copernicus, an ancient Greek philosopher, argues the the sun is the center of the solar system. This stood against the Christian belief that we lived in an earth-centered universe. Needless to say, this caused a great deal of controversy.



Galileo Galilei


 * __Fashion__**

The fashion police weren't messing around during the Renaissance, particularly during the Elizabethan era in England. Rules were strict according to your definite class position.



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