Thinking Like a Historian
What is the difference between a primary and secondary source?
Primary = firsthand account, Secondary = interpretation/analysis
In which century did the Black Death hit Europe?
14th century (1300's)
Who is known as the “Father of Humanism”?
Petrarch
What was the intellectual movement of the Renaissance called?
Humanism
Give an example of a primary source from the Renaissance.
A painting by Michelangelo, a letter by Petrarch, etc.
What percentage of Europe’s population may have died during the Black Death?
Over 50%, some historians estimate up to 2/3 of Europe
Which artist painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling?
Michelangelo
How did the printing press change Europe?
Books became cheaper and ideas spread faster than ever before.
What city is often called the birthplace of the Renaissance?
Florence, Itlay
Why is it important for historians to use multiple sources?
To avoid bias and get a fuller picture of the past.
How did the Black Death weaken the feudal system?
Labor shortages from people dying gave peasants more power and mobility.
Who was considered a true ''Renaissance Man,'' and why?
Leonardo da Vinci - because he was the master of many fields- science, engineering, art, etc and embodied the spirit of the Renaissance
How did Renaissance art differ from medieval art?
Renaissance art was realistic, used perspective, focused on humans/individuals; medieval was flat and religious.
What questions should historians ask when analyzing a source?
Who created it? When? Why? For whom? What’s the context?
Name one way the Black Death influenced religion or culture.
People turned to religion for answers, art showed death themes, or loss of faith grew.
Who invented the printing press that spread Renaissance ideas?
Johannes Gutenberg
Renaissance thinkers revived interest in what two ancient civilizations?
Greece and Rome
What wealthy family in Florence were major patrons of Renaissance art?
The Medici Family
Which type of source (primary or secondary) is more reliable — and why might that depend on the situation?
Neither is automatically more reliable; it depends on the question and how the source is used.
Why do historians connect the Black Death to the Renaissance?
It shifted social/economic structures, weakened feudalism, opened opportunities, and changed worldviews.
Who wrote The Prince, a political guidebook about ruling with power? Why was it significant?
Machiavelli - it was significant because it introduced different ideas about gaining and maintaining power
How did Renaissance humanism challenge the Church’s authority?
It emphasized individual thought and secular studies, not only religion.
Why was patronage (support for artists) so important to the Renaissance?
It allowed artists to create by providing financial support, spreading ideas and culture.