Key Figures
Known as "Il Magnifico," this ruler of Florence was a key supporter of Renaissance artists like Michelangelo and Botticelli.
Who is Lorenzo de’ Medici?
This adjective, based on the ideas of an Italian Renaissance thinker, describes a person who uses cunning and manipulation to achieve their goals.
What is Machiavellian?
Martin Luther's use of the printing press to distribute his 95 Theses and other writings helped spread his ideas rapidly across Europe, playing a key role in challenging the Catholic Church and sparking this major religious movement.
What is the Protestant Reformation?
During the Renaissance, art was seen as more than just decoration; it was a way to demonstrate human achievement, express religious themes, and reflect the growing importance of individualism. This shift in perspective helped elevate the status of artists from craftsmen to celebrated intellectuals.
What is the importance of art during the Renaissance?
During the Renaissance, Florence's wealth primarily came from this industry, which was driven by the production and trade of fine textiles, and this banking family, known for their influence on both commerce and the arts.
What are textiles and banking, and who are the Medici?
This Renaissance scientist and artist is known for his detailed notebooks, filled with sketches of inventions and studies of anatomy.
Who is Leonardo da Vinci?
The Renaissance is often considered a "rebirth" of ideas from which two classical civilizations?
What are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome?
This invention, created by Johannes Gutenberg, allowed books and ideas to spread quickly across Europe.
What is the printing press?
This artistic technique, used widely during the Renaissance, creates the illusion of depth and makes paintings look three-dimensional.
What is perspective?
This term, meaning "rebirth," describes the period in Europe from the 14th to the 17th century, marked by a renewed interest in classical art, literature, and learning.
What is the Renaissance?
This Italian sculptor created the statue of "David" and painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
Who is Michelangelo?
This period, occurring before the Renaissance, was marked by limited scientific progress and strong influence of the church.
What is the Middle Ages?
Leonardo da Vinci designed this armored vehicle that resembles a modern tank, though it was never built.
What is an armored car (or war machine)?
This famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, featuring a woman with an enigmatic smile, is considered one of the most iconic works of art from the Renaissance.
What is the Mona Lisa?
This Italian explorer, sailing under the Spanish flag, is credited with discovering the New World in 1492, although he believed he had reached Asia.
Who is Christopher Columbus?
This English king broke away from the Catholic Church and established the Church of England during the Renaissance.
Who is Henry VIII?
This term describes the intellectual movement that focused on human potential and achievements during the Renaissance.
What is Humanism?
This Renaissance scientist is credited with improving the telescope, allowing him to make groundbreaking astronomical discoveries such as the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus.
Who is Galileo Galilei?
This painting in the Sistine Chapel depicts souls ascending to Heaven or descending to Hell and reflects Renaissance tensions between religious tradition and humanistic expression. Its depiction of nudity and expressive figures led to disputes with the Catholic Church, even resulting in later alterations.
What is "The Last Judgment"?
During the Renaissance, Italy was divided into independent city-states, each with its own government. This city-state, known for its canals and wealth from trade, was ruled by powerful families like the Doges.
What is Venice?
This monk and scholar, known for his "95 Theses," helped spark the Protestant Reformation.
Who is Martin Luther?
This city, considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, was known for its wealth, art, and cultural influence.
What is Florence?
This invention in the early 15th century, used for keeping time more accurately, revolutionized timekeeping in Europe.
What is the mechanical clock?
This famous Renaissance artist and architect painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling, which includes the "Creation of Adam."
Who is Michelangelo?
This movement in the 17th and 18th centuries focused on reason, individual rights, and questioning traditional authority, influencing many political and scientific changes.
What is the Enlightenment?