Italian Geography & City-States
This boot-shaped landform in the center of the Mediterranean Sea was the birthplace of the Renaissance
What is the Italian peninsula
This Renaissance polymath painted both the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper
Who is Leonardo da Vinci
The word "Renaissance" comes from a French term that literally means this
What is rebirth
Invented in the mid-1400s by Johannes Gutenberg, this machine drastically increased literacy and spread new ideas rapidly across Europe
What is the printing press
Martin Luther initiated a major protest against Catholic practices by writing and posting this famous document
What are the 95 Theses
This banking capital and independent republic served as the cultural center where the Italian Renaissance began
What is Florence
He painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and sculpted the famous statue of David
Who is Michelangelo
Humanists sought to revive and learn from the classical literature, philosophy, and art of these two ancient civilizations
What are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome
This astronomer proposed the heliocentric model, stating that the Sun—not the Earth—sits at the center of the universe
Who is Nicolaus Copernicus
This English monarch broke ties with the Pope and established the Church of England to expand personal royal authority
Who is King Henry VIII
In the 1400s, Italy was not a single unified nation, but was split into these independently governed regions
What are city-states
This wealthy ruling family controlled Florence for centuries and financed numerous famous artworks
Who is the Medici Family
This key Renaissance philosophy emphasized human potential, achievement, and independent thought
What is Humanism
Mapmaking became significantly more scientific during the Renaissance, known by this formal name
What is cartography
These Church certificates, sold for the forgiveness of sins, were heavily criticized by religious reformers
What are indulgences
Alongside Florence and Rome, this island-controlling power was one of the three major Italian trade centers
What is Venice
This famous Italian politician and author wrote extensively about political power and government
Who is Niccolò Machiavelli
Meaning non-religious, this viewpoint encouraged viewing earthly life as an opportunity for enjoyment rather than strictly focusing on striving for heaven
What is secularism (or secular)
Leonardo da Vinci drew designs for flying machines that are recognized as the early ancestor of this modern aircraft
What is the helicopter
Over 85 percent of the Medieval European population consisted of these peasant farmers bound to a lord's estate
What are serfs
Before the Renaissance, Florence was the third-largest city in Europe, behind only these two major cities
What are London and Constantinople
This term describes a wealthy person or family who gives financial support to artists, scholars, and scientists
What is a patron
Prior to the Renaissance, this institution controlled most books, monasteries, and cultural authority across Medieval Europe
What is the Roman Catholic Church
Using a telescope, this Italian scientist provided observational proof that the Earth moved around the Sun
Who is Galileo Galilei
As book production increased, authorities tried to limit individual freedom by exercising this practice to block or remove published works
What is censorship