The Renaissance: Demographic and Economic Recovery, Rise of the Bourgeoisie, and Humanism
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In the second half of the 15th century, Europe entered a period of demographic and economic recovery. During this time, the bourgeoisie prospered and the monarchy became a more powerful force.
A Demographic and Economy Recovery
As the major epidemics disappeared and the birth rate increased, the population rose. The rise in demand led to more land cultivation and a greater crop yield. Agricultural surplus was generated and sold. Improvements in shipping gave rise to trade. This led to an increase in the production of hand-made goods, manufacturing, and the growth of cities, including the development of maritime and river ports.
The Rise of the Bourgeoisie
They made their money from capital, which they invested in profitable activities such as trade, manufacturing, and banking. The first capitalists emerged, and the foundations of merchant capitalism were laid. Commercial exchange represented a major source of wealth.
The Strengthening of the Monarchy
In the 15th century, the monarchs took back the power that feudal nobility had accumulated during the Middle Ages. Parliaments were dispensed with, and authoritarian monarchies were established.
Humanism: A Cultural Revolution
In the 15th century, a new movement known as humanism spread throughout Europe. Human beings were at the center of creation. The humanists discovered the art of Greek and Roman antiquity and admired their political, philosophical, and scientific writings. They believed that human beings were at the center of the world (anthropocentrism).
The Human and the Academies
The humanists had different areas of interest. Petrarch was regarded as the first great humanist, and Erasmus of Rotterdam and Pico della Mirandola sought to synthesize classical, Jewish, and Christian culture. Baldassare Castiglione was known for his definition of the perfect humanist model. Sir Thomas More imagined an ideal society without social inequalities, and Machiavelli wrote about princedom in which all actions were justified by reason of state. Vesalius studied anatomy to find how the human body worked, and Copernicus...