Politics & People
Name the powerful banking family in Florence that acted as patrons and at times controlled the city.
Medici family
What is "humanism" and how did it change what people studied during the Renaissance? (short answer)
emphasis on human potential and achievements; focus on history, literature, philosophy rather than only religious study.
What invention around 1440 made books cheaper and helped spread ideas quickly?
Gutenberg printing press
What name is given to Christians who protested the Catholic Church and sought change?
Protestant
During the 1300s plague, roughly what fraction of Europe’s population died (as given in the unit)?
Which political thinker wrote a handbook called The Prince advising rulers that "the ends justify the means"?
Niccolò Machiavelli
Name two works by Leonardo da Vinci mentioned in the unit.
Mona Lisa; The Last Supper
Give one reason why the fall of Constantinople (1453) mattered to the Renaissance.
It sent Byzantine scholars and manuscripts into Italy; trade and knowledge routes changed after Ottoman capture; influx of Greek manuscripts preserved Greco-Roman learning.
Who nailed the 95 Theses to a church door in Wittenberg in 1517?
Martin Luther
Name one result of the Black Death listed in the unit that affected the economy.
Explain one political effect of the Black Death on European societies (short answer).
Possible answers: weakened feudal labor force; peasants demanded higher wages; urban populations fell influencing political power of kings vs. nobles.
Define "secularism" and give one example of how Renaissance art reflected secular ideas.
focus on worldly themes; example: portraits of ordinary people, non-religious subjects, focus on classical myths.
Explain how the printing press helped spark the Reformation (short answer).
Printing press allowed rapid distribution of Luther’s ideas and the 95 Theses, spreading criticism of the Church.
Define "indulgence" as used in the unit and explain why it angered reformers.
Indulgence: payment to reduce punishment for sin; angered reformers because it commodified forgiveness and showed Church corruption.
Explain how the Renaissance contributed to the rise of nation-states and stronger monarchs (short answer).
Renaissance emphasis on individual achievement, secular governance, and centralized wealth/patronage supported monarchs and reduced feudal fragmentation.
Identify the English monarch who broke from the Catholic Church in 1534 and declared himself head of the Church of England.
Henry VIII
Which artist painted The School of Athens and included portraits of Plato and Aristotle as Renaissance figures?
Raphael
List and briefly explain two long-term technological or cultural effects of the Reformation mentioned in the unit.
invention of printing press, postal system, innovations that led to Scientific Revolution, translations of the Bible into vernacular languages.
Identify John Calvin’s main religious idea about salvation and name one political implication of his teachings.
Predestination — God chooses who will be saved; political implication: theocracy in Geneva and strict moral governance; influenced formation of Presbyterian and other structures.
Describe the spread of Renaissance ideas north of Italy — give one cultural change that characterized the Northern Renaissance.
Northern Renaissance was more secular, focused on education (including for women), Christian humanism (Thomas More), and art showing ordinary people (e.g., Peasant Wedding).
Describe the Peace of Augsburg (1555) and explain its significance for the political structure of German states.
The Peace of Augsburg allowed each German prince to choose either Lutheranism or Catholicism for his state; it formalized religious division and strengthened princely authority.
Compare and contrast the roles expected of Renaissance men and Renaissance women, giving two examples for each.
Renaissance man: expected to be educated in many fields, create art, be skilled in combat/dance/etc. (e.g., Leonardo — painter, scientist, inventor). Renaissance woman: educated and charming, inspire art but rarely create it; example Isabella d’Este — patron and political actor.
Using the concept of a "Renaissance man," explain how Leonardo's scientific studies (anatomy, engineering) connected to his art. Provide one specific example.
Leonardo studied anatomy (dissections) to portray realistic human figures (e.g., studies of the arm), and his engineering sketches (flying machine) reflected observation and design that informed his art's realism.
Describe three reforms or decisions made at the Council of Trent during the Counter-Reformation.
Council of Trent: reaffirmed Catholic doctrines (Nicene Creed acceptance), fixed the canon of Scripture, set seven sacraments, clarified nature of sins and penance, corrected abuses and reformed clergy education.
Evaluate the overall long-term effects of the Reformation listed in the unit. Provide at least three effects and explain how they changed European life.
Effects include: end of Christian unity in Western Europe; many new denominations; stronger monarchs/modern states; bureaucratization; national languages; increased individualism; foundation for Scientific Revolution; wider access to the Bible in vernaculars