Dec
10
Origins of the Northern Renaissance
December 10, 2015 | 11 Comments
The rise of the Northern Renaissance in Europe from the 16th to the early 17th century can be attributed to several factors. The first is the decline of feudalism. Money was becoming a medium of exchange, instead of land. Technology was improving in warfare and agriculture. Monarchies began to rise with the interest of eliminating […]
Dec
10
Inventions of the Renaissance
December 10, 2015 | 12 Comments
The Renaissance was a period of great advancements in the fields of science, and many great inventions emerged from this period that are still being used and improved upon today. One of the first notable inventions of the Renaissance was gunpowder, invented around 850 A.D. When the gun was developed by the English and Dutch […]
Dec
9
Christianity in the Italian Renaissance
December 9, 2015 | 2 Comments
Some view the Renaissance as a break away from religious dominance of humanity. While it did distance itself from religious influence it didn’t completely drop religion either. In fact many great renaissance paintings and sculptors are church works, be they commissioned or otherwise. Indeed christian influences seem intertwined with the renaissance almost as much as […]
Dec
9
A True Renaissance Man, Leonardo da Vinci
December 9, 2015 | 6 Comments
The Italian Renaissance, was a time period of intellectual revival and culture after the relative stagnation that characterized the dark ages. Many great minds and amazingly talented people are attributed to the Renaissance era. These men were artists, politicians, scientists, mathematicians, doctors, philosophers, and otherwise great thinkers. The term “Renaissance Man”originated with regards to these […]
Dec
4
15th Century Timeline of Inventions
December 4, 2009 | 4 Comments
1400 •First golf balls invented. •The first piano called the Spinet invented. 1411 •Trigger invented. 1420 •Oil painting invented. 1421 •In Florence, hoisting gear invented. 1450 •Nicholas of Cusa creates spectacles of polished lenses for nearsighted persons. 1455 •Johannes Gutenberg invents printing press with metal movable type. 1465 •In Germany, drypoint engravings invented. 1475 •Muzzle-loaded […]
Dec
3
Italian City-States
December 3, 2009 | 1 Comment
Like Frankforter emphasizes, the Italian city-states were a main jump start to the Renaissance period. A wave of Italian urbanization helped the ports of Naples, Venice and Genoa quickly grow into “hotspots” of international trade. Even landlocked city-states profited through the control of specific trade routes through the mountains. There is an interesting irony […]
Sep
6
Culture of the Renaissance
September 6, 2009 | 6 Comments
When people think of the Renaissance the usually think of Michelangelo and the Sistene Chapel, Leonardo da Vinci and his Mona Lisa, and Florence. It was not only a cultural movement associated with the arts, but a movement also associated with the study of ancient Greek and Latin works. However, it was not above all a […]
Sep
3
Europe and Atlantic Restoration
September 3, 2009 | 1 Comment
In the late sixteenth century, Europeans found that they could indeed travel through the Atlantic and they made that a priority. The medieval Europeans were excellent at building off past societies ideas and inventions and either improving them or putting them to better use. Examples of this include their paper-like product (learned from the Muslims) […]
Sep
1
Northern Rennaissance
September 1, 2009 | 7 Comments
The years between 1254 and 1274 marked a period of independence for German nobles. This period is referred to as the Northern Renaissance and is often included in the complete Renaissance period. After the death of Frederick II, political entities of Germany enjoyed independence. The formation of the Hanseatic League, which is simply a league of trading partners emphasizing free enterprise, lead to economic boom in the German region.