Renaissance Ideas
History: KS3, topic 5.1.2
Renaissance Ideas
The Renaissance was heavily influenced by the Classical world (Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome).
The Classical World
- Renaissance was strongly shaped by the Classical world.
- Scholars focused their attention on Ancient Rome and Greece, which they viewed as a ‘golden age’.
- Petrarch was a famous Renaissance scholar.
Humanism
- Humanism was central to the Renaissance.
- It was an intellectual movement that was focussed on the potential of mankind.
- Humanist scholars believed education could improve the power of mankind.
Humanism and religion
- Humanism had an impact on religion across Europe.
- Humanists criticised the low levels of education in the Church and among the laity (lay people).
- Humanists also accused the Catholic Church of being corrupt.
- They claimed that clergymen were exploiting (taking advantage of) their parishes.
Science
- The revival in learning was felt in science as well.
- Universities began to establish schools for medicine.
- The Renaissance period gave birth to scientific ‘method’.
- This means that there became a focus on direct observation and experiments to explain things rather than blaming them on something supernatural.
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Who was a famous Renaissance scholar?