To introduce the topic
To introduce the topic, I would like to bring up what the renaissance is. The definition of the word renaissance is rebirth, which makes this an appropriate name for this time period because this was a time of big changes all over the world. Now the Middle Ages, a time before the renaissance, must be explained so you can understand the value of the renaissance time period. In the middle ages can be described as a time when man lacked intelligence of art, religion, math, science, and the world as they thought. The renaissance led to a lot of growth in all of these areas. “Some of the greatest thinkers, authors, statesmen, scientists and artists in human history thrived during this era” (History.com Editors, 2018) This shows that the some of the smartest people lived during the renaissance, so many things must have been accomplished. Nice information and loved how you used your own voice and evidence that backed up what you were saying.
Many things were invented in this time to improved learning. The printing press, invented by Johann Gutenberg, played a great part in this. Not only did it get the written word out to people, but it also encouraged people to read more. People wanting to read more led to more literary knowledge, which eventually led to an entirely new education system for literature. “The invention of the printing press in the mid-1400’s gave the renaissance and humanism even more momentum” (Unknown, 2013). Love it!
How did the renaissance change art? Art has been done in many different forms such as poetry and painting. Poetry really brought out the many qualities of man. “What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty!…” (Shakespeare,1602. Doc. B). The text goes on to say that people are clear thinkers, paragon of animals, and have great apprehension, so people thought that God must have made them this way for a reason. While art showed us our qualities, it also gave us many different views on religion. It opened man’s eyes to take religion very seriously and do everything they can to be their best for God. “Ye man think sin in the beginning full sweet, which in the end causeth thy soul to weep,” (Unknown, 1485. Doc. B). This shows that people needed to wake up and see the fate they were doomed to if they didn’t change their ways. Don’t forget the main two points of what types of plays were done in the Renaissance era; mysteries and morality plays taught Christianity and morales.
The renaissance not only changed man’s view of religion, but also their view of the world and universe. For instance, Claudius Ptolemy believed that the earth was in the center of the universe, he thought man was God’s center thought?. However, after years passed Nicolaus Copernicus came up with a different conclusion. He believed in a sun-centered universe. Many people didn’t believe him for a long time though because it went against the Bible. They thought that since the Earth was made first, it was in the center. “The Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus . . . Relying mostly on mathematics and observation, he developed a different understanding of the universe.” (Copernicus, 1500 ce). He changed everyone else’s view because he showed them that people were not at the center of everything, they weren’t as important as they thought.
Man grew particularly in math and science. For one, people had a better understanding of universe as we discussed before, and they also grew a better understanding of the human body through dissection and observation. People started out believing in the anatomy of an image entitled “Zodiac Man” (Regiomontanus, 1512. Doc. D). This anatomy was based off of zodiac constellations representing certain body parts, for instance, Scorpio represented the genitals. However, like the images of the universe, it was contradicted with an image that was much better. It gave much better detail of the muscles and bones and it was titled. “On the Makeup of the Human Body” (Vesalius, 1543. Doc. D).