Middle Ages to Enlightenment: Key Events & Concepts
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Middle Ages and the Dawn of the Renaissance
The Middle Ages preceded the Renaissance.
Humanism emerged, emphasizing independence and questioning authority.
Silk Roads: Connected Europe to Central Asia, China, and India.
Renaissance architecture introduced perspective.
Artists drew inspiration from: Religious, secular, and non-religious subjects.
Albrecht Dürer: Created woodcut images.
Impact of the printing press: Led to an information explosion.
Renaissance cartography: Influenced by Christopher Columbus's ideas.
Reformation: A movement led by Martin Luther.
Counter-Reformation: A Church movement that led to the rise of nation-states with their own governments.
Humanism
- Life didn't have to be all work.
- Humans could enjoy comforts.
Greeks and Romans: Ancient civilizations in Italy inspired humanism.
Italy was divided into city-states at the start of the Renaissance.
The Renaissance began in Florence.
Petrarch: Invented the philosophy of humanism.
Renaissance paintings depicted subjects as they appeared in nature.
The Renaissance began around 1300.
The golden age of the Renaissance ended around 1492.
The Renaissance touched every part of Europe.
Johannes Gutenberg: Improved movable type for printing.
Michelangelo's most famous sculpture: David.
Renaissance man: Leonardo Da Vinci.
Age of Exploration occurred simultaneously with the European Renaissance.
Explorers sought: New trade routes.
Spain: Sponsored Christopher Columbus's expedition, leading to the discovery of America.
Vasco da Gama: Discovered a trade route around southern Africa to India.
Colony: A group of people settling in a new land.
Circumnavigate: To travel all the way around the Earth.
Europeans did not eat potatoes and corn in the Middle Ages because they were not introduced from the New World.
Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment
Reasoning: Foundation of ancient Greek scientific theories.
Copernicus: Proposed the heliocentric theory.
Caravels: Fast, maneuverable ships.
New World to Old World: Tomatoes, corn, potatoes.
Old World to New World: Apples, coffee, sugar, rice, pears, grapes.
Heliocentric theory: The Earth orbits the Sun.
Geocentric: Study of the Earth as the center of the universe.
Louis XIV: Known as the Sun King.
Enlightenment thinkers emphasized reasoning and logic.
The philosophy of the Enlightenment was closely related to humanism.
1750: The Industrial Revolution began.
1690, John Locke: Published "Two Treatises of Government," arguing that humans are equal and that government comes from the people, proposing a contract between the ruler and the ruled.
Montesquieu: Advocated for limited government and the separation of powers into legislative, judicial, and executive branches.
Napoleon Bonaparte: Seized control of the French government in 1799.
1789: France revolted against Louis XVI, adopting the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
Voltaire: Defended civil liberties, religious tolerance, and limiting the power of the Church.
Enlightened despots: Implemented some reforms but did not relinquish all authority.
Absolute monarchs: Ruled by divine right.