Renaissance Foundations
The term "Renaissance" literally means this.
What is "Rebirth"?
Unlike unified countries like France or England, Renaissance Italy was divided into these independent political units.
What are city-states?
This Italian city-state was known as a banking hub ruled by wealthy merchants and the famous Medici family.
What is Florence?
A wealthy person or family who financially supports artists by paying them to create art is known by this term.
What is a patron?
The artistic term for making paintings and sculptures look natural, detailed, and lifelike.
What is Realism?
The Renaissance is characterized by a renewed interest in the ideas, art, and culture of these two ancient civilizations.
What are ancient Greece and Rome?
This political philosopher wrote The Prince in 1513, arguing that "it is much safer to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both".
Who is Niccolò Machiavelli?
This maritime republic was an independent power center controlled by an elite group of naval traders.
What is Venice?
This mathematical technique uses geometry to create realistic 3D depth and distance on a flat canvas.
What is linear perspective?
The term "Classical" in Renaissance art and history refers to anything connected to these two ancient civilizations.
What are Greece and Rome?
Unlike the Renaissance focus on humanism, the Middle Ages were primarily characterized by feudal society and leadership under this institution.
What is the Catholic Church?
These mercenary captains were hired by city-states to command armies and defend city borders.
Who are condottieri?
These two noble dynasties consecutively ruled Milan as a military duchy during the Renaissance.
Who are the Visconti and Sforza dynasties?
This Renaissance master was known for his expertise in anatomy, sfumato shading, detailed observation, and painting the Mona Lisa.
Who is Leonardo da Vinci?
In addition to military defense, city-state rulers spent their treasuries on these two cultural items to display prestige and power.
What are fine art and grand buildings?
This game-changing technological invention allowed printed knowledge to spread rapidly across Europe instead of relying on hand-copied manuscripts.
What is the Gutenberg Printing Press?
To maintain alliances and compete diplomatically, Italian rulers established these networks, sending permanent representatives to rival cities.
What are diplomatic networks (or permanent ambassadors)?
These central Italian territories were controlled directly by the Catholic Church and the Pope.
What are the Papal States?
Michelangelo’s famous fresco, The Creation of Adam, highlights human potential and noble anatomical precision, which connects to this key philosophy.
What is humanism?
The Medici family viewed funding major art projects not just as decoration, but as strategic political branding used for this purpose.
What is gaining public devotion and goodwill (or political control)?
This core intellectual movement of the Renaissance focused on individual human potential, achievements, and earthly experience.
What is Humanism?
Machiavelli’s philosophy advocated for this practical political approach, where leaders preserve state stability at all costs while discarding moral idealism.
What is Realpolitik (or political survival/practical politics)?
These two Medici family members built Europe's largest bank and used their financial wealth to influence public elections behind the scenes.
Who are Cosimo and Lorenzo de' Medici?
This High Renaissance artist was known as the champion of harmony, spatial balance, and classical themes, famous for painting School of Athens.
Who is Raphael?
Fierce political and trade competition between Italian city-states unexpectedly accelerated advancements in these two major fields.
What are the arts and engineering (or science and architecture)?