THEA MELODIAS

 Renaissance

   The Renaissance period saw rebirth of interest in the learning and arts of ancient Greece and Rome. The Renaissance began in Italy about 1300, in the late Middle Ages. The Renaissance saw a reawakening of the classical concern for wisdom and beauty. Also it was the time for growth and discovery. In these years Eouropeans developed new scientific ideas and inventions, produced new literature and art, and discovered new lands and trade routes. They began to ask questions and think about the world in a new way.  These developments grew out of changes that took place in the late Middle Ages. Society was no longer chiefly made up of feudal landlords and their vassals. The middle class, composed of merchants and artisans, became more important. Wealthy merchants and bankers played a major role in the government. City-states and monarchies replaced feudal fiefdoms. People also began to take more wordly view of life. They became less reliant on relegion as the guiding force in their daily lives ( humanist became more secular ).

The Renaissance originated in Italy for several reasons. The Italian peninsula juts into the Mediterranean Sea, which had long been the main trading route between Europe and the East. Italians traveled to foreign lands. Italian merchants and bankers did business all over Europe. Increasing trade brought great changes in  European life. Cities grew, and wealth increased. Italian scholars led the revival of interest in ancient learning. Artists from Italy set the fashions in painting, architecture, and sculpture. Italian explorers discovered new lands.