17-2 Notes

Spreading the Renaissance During the late 1400s the Renaissance moved north out of Italy as a result of cultural diffusion. Monarchs supported scholars and artists so the number of humanists grew rapidly. Northern merchants (new money) spent their money on education, fine houses, and material goods. A new educated middle class emerged. Johannes Gutenberg 1440 invented a movable metal type printing press. Books were now published more quickly and less expensively. Began painting realistic portraits, landscapes and scenes of everyday life. French Renaissance King Francais I in 1494 when invaded Italy, was so impressed he brought Leonardo da Vinci back to France. Chteaux is the blending of Gothic architecture and classical columns. Humanistic theme continued with emphasis on writing personal essays, comic tales and satires. They wanted reforms in Catholicism. Christian Humanism Erasmus wrote The Praise of Folly and promoted people to take a more critical view of the Catholic Church. English Renaissance Came to England in 1485 after the War of the Roses. Thomas Moore wrote Utopia, which criticized the society of the day by comparing it with an ideal society. The English Renaissance was best known for drama. William Shakespeare dealt with universal human qualities such as jealousy, ambition, love and despair so effectively that his plays are still relevant to audiences today.