This unit will focus on social, political, economic, and technological changes and how those changes affected the growth of nations. Students will learn how individuals impacted change and brought about complexity in governance. The roles of the church and government are introduced through the study of the Renaissance and Reformation. This unit will show how the role of leaders, religious ideas and new innovations affected the future growth of Europe and how this growth affected movement and migration. Few historians are comfortable with the triumphalist and western Europe-centered image of the Renaissance as the irresistible march of modernity and progress. A sharp break with medieval values and institutions, a new awareness of the individual, an awakened interest in the material world and nature, and a recovery of the cultural heritage of ancient Greece and Rome—these were once understood to be the major achievements of the Renaissance. Today, every particular of this formula is under suspicion if not altogether repudiated. Nevertheless, the term Renaissance remains a widely recognized label for the multifaceted period between the heyday of medieval universal-ism, as embodied in the papacy and Holy Roman Empire, and the convulsions and sweeping transformations of the 17th century. In addition to Classical scholarship, the systematic investigation of the physical world, and commercial enterprise based on private capital, other important innovations of the Middle Ages that came into their own in the period included the revival of urban life, banking, the formation of states, and vernacular literature. In religious life, the Renaissance was a time of the broadening and institutionalizing of earlier initiatives in lay piety and lay-sponsored clerical reforms, rather than the abandonment of traditional beliefs. In government, city-states and regional and national principalities supplanted the fading hegemony of the empire and the papacy and obliterated many of the local feudal jurisdictions that had covered Europe, although within states power continued to be monopolized by elites drawing their strength from both landed and mercantile wealth. If there was a Renaissance “rediscovery of the world and of man,” as the 19th-century historians Jules Michelet (in the seventh volume of his History of France) and Jacob Burckhardt (in The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy [1860]) asserted, it can be found mainly in literature and art, influenced by the latest and most successful of a long series of medieval Classical revivals. For all but exceptional individuals and a few marginal groups, the standards of behavior continued to arise from traditional social and moral codes. Identity derived from class, family, occupation, and community, although each of these social forms was itself undergoing significant modification. Thus, for example, while there is no substance to Burckhardt’s notion that in Italy women enjoyed perfect equality with men, the economic and structural features of Renaissance patrician families may have enhanced the scope of activity and influence of women of that class. Finally, the older view of the Renaissance centered too exclusively on Italy, and within Italy on a few cities—Florence, Venice, and Rome. By discarding false dichotomies—Renaissance versus Middle Ages, Classical versus Gothic, modern versus feudal—one is able to grasp more fully the inter-relatedness of Italy with the rest of Europe and to investigate the extent to which the great centers of Renaissance learning and art were nourished and influenced by less exalted towns and by changes in the pattern of rural life
WH.H.4 - Analyze the political, economic, social and cultural factors that lead to the development of the first age of global interaction. 4.1: Explain how interest in classical learning and religious reform contributed to increased global interaction (e.g., Renaissance, Protestant Reformation, Catholic Reformation, Printing revolution, etc.). 4.2: Explain the political, social and economic reasons for the rise of powerful centralized nation-states and empires (e.g., Reformation, absolutism, limited monarchy, empires, etc.).
Essential Questions:
1. How do legacies of the past influence societies of today? 2. What leads to progress? 3. How does the spread of or access to information affect the stability of complex structures? 4. How does creative expression imitate life? 5. How did the way creative expression was valued shift during the Renaissance and Reformation?
Major Learning Points:
1. Intellectual and religious reform movements transform societies and influence relationships among nations.
2. Discontent with economic, political, and social conditions can lead to revolution or reform which may alter physical boundaries and government systems.
3. Technological innovation often leads to expanding economic activity and new markets which can result in massive population increases, urbanization, and the development of new economic systems.
4. The Renaissance: Origins - Greco-Roman culture combined with innovations from Asian and Islamic civilizations laid groundwork Geographic location of Italian city-states play significant role in reason behind why Italy was the center of the Renaissance, “Rebirth” of classical knowledge ; “birth” of the modern world, Contributions of the Renaissances, Visual Arts : Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci Literature: sonnets, plays, essays (ex: Shakespeare), Intellectual ideas: humanism (ex: Erasmus), Cultural and Intellectual significance of Machiavelli, The Prince; consolidation and maintenance of political power
5. The Reformation: Conflicts that challenged the authority of the Church in Rome, Merchant wealth challenged the Church’s view of usury (money lending), German and English nobility disliked Italian domination of the Church. Church corruption and the sale of indulgences were widespread and caused conflict. Martin Luther (the Lutheran tradition) Views: Salvation by faith alone, Bible as the ultimate authority, all humans are equal before God, less powerful papacy. Actions: 95 thesis; start of the Protestant Church
6. Role of the Printing Press - Gutenberg led to the growth of literacy, spreads ideas easily ; contributes to the spread of the Reformation, helped disseminate beliefs and ideas as well as improve communication, Bible was printed in English, French, and German
7. Catholic Counter-Reformation: Dissenters include Jan Huss (considered first reformer), John Wycliffe, Martin Luther begin to question the established power and authority of the Catholic Church, The Council of Trent reaffirmed most Church doctrine and practices, the Inquisition was used to reinforce Catholic doctrine, The Society of Jesus (Jesuits) was founded to spread the Catholic Doctrine, John Calvin Views: Predestination, faith revealed by living a righteous life, work ethic, Action: Expansion of the Protestant Movement
8. Henry VIII of England, Catherine of Aragon infertility resulted in Henry’s break from the Catholic Church Broke with Rome; Headed the national church in England; appropriated lands and wealth of the Catholic Church in England Act of Supremacy
9. Reformation in Germany: The Hapsburg Family and the authority of the Holy Roman Empire continued to Support the Catholic church, Princes in North Germany converted to Protestantism ending the authority of the Pope in their states Conflict between Protestants and Catholics resulted in devastating wars (ex: Hundred Year War & Thirty Years’ War)
10. Reformation in France: Catholic monarchy granted protestant Huguenots freedom of worship by the Edict of Nantes (later revoked), Cardinal Richelieu changed the focus of the Thirty Years’ War from a religious to political conflict
1. The 30 Years War 101: video, website, Gouge Notes 2. The Peace of Westphalia: video, website 3. If any time remains, click on the photo to the left