The Renaissance
This period, from 1300 to 1600 in Italy (and 1450 to 1650 in northern Europe), is known as a ‘rebirth’ because people rediscovered ancient Greek and Roman ideas and renewed interest in learning. est in art, science, and classical ideas.
(Found in study guide question #1; Textbook Chapter 1, pages 2–3)
What is the Renaissance?
Angry at the sale of indulgences and other corrupt practices, this reformer posted his 95 Theses in 1517, sparking a movement that would forever change the Church.
(Found in study guide question #11; Textbook Chapter 2, pages 19–20)
Who is Martin Luther?
For centuries, Europeans believed in a geocentric universe until astronomers like Copernicus and Galileo provided evidence for a model where the sun is at the center.
(Found in study guide question #16; Textbook Chapter 3, pages 29–30)
What is the heliocentric model?
This invention, created by Johannes Gutenberg in the 1440s, revolutionized bookmaking by making texts faster and cheaper to produce—spreading knowledge to a much wider audience.
What is the printing press?
This document, famously nailed to a church door, listed criticisms of the Church’s practices and ignited debates that led to the Protestant Reformation.
What are the Ninety-Five Theses?
This step by step approach to inquiry—based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning—was led by thinkers such as Francis Bacon and laid the groundwork for modern science.
What is the scientific method?
Renaissance art broke from the medieval style by focusing on realistic human forms and emotions. A prime example is Leonardo da Vinci—a true ‘Renaissance man’ who produced masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.
Who is Leonardo da Vinci?
In response to growing Protestant ideas, the Catholic Church initiated its own reform movement—known as the Counter-Reformation—to combat the spread of dissent.
What is the Counter-Reformation?
Building on ideas from Bacon and Descartes, this scientist formulated the laws of motion and gravity, showing that the universe operates according to discoverable rules, not simply because of faith or God's will.
Who is Isaac Newton?
This philosophy celebrated human potential and achievement by emphasizing the study of classical texts and the beauty of the human experience rather than just religious doctrine.
What is humanism?
This branch of Christianity emerged during the Reformation, encouraging believers to read the Bible in their own language, rejecting papal authority, and emphasizing personal faith over ritual.
What is Protestantism?
This Dutch scientist, using one of the first microscopes, observed bacteria, blood cells, and muscle fibers—opening up an entirely new world of the very small.
Who is Antonie van Leeuwenhoek?