Renaissance - Day 1

Aim: Why was Humanism important to the development of the Renaissance? Why were Machiavelli’s contributions to political science important?

Do Now: What is Humanism Worksheet

Lesson Overview:

Item	Approx Time
Do Now	3-5 Min
Mini Lesson	15-20 Min
Activity	15 Min
Discussion	5-7 Min

Humanism

Humanism - An intellectual movement at the heart of the Italian Renaissance that focused on worldly subjects instead of religious issues.

Celebrated the individual
Stimulated the study of Greek and Roman literature and culture
Was supported by wealthy patrons (people who gave money to artists, writers, musicians, and inventors)

Humanism (the philosophy that people are rational beings) became quite popular during the Renaissance. The dignity and worth of the individual was emphasized. This movement originated with the study of classical culture and a group of subjects known collectively as the “studia humanitatis”, or the humanities.

Humanism and the humanities disciplines included studies in speaking, grammar, poetry, ethics and history. The humanist preference was to study them as much as possible in their original classical texts (mostly Latin). The more traditional educational approach was that of scholasticism, which concentrates on logic, natural science and metaphysics.

The scholars from each philosophy often clashed with each other. The more traditional scholastic training prepared students to become doctors, lawyers and theologians. The new humanism believed that the focus on education should be broader and encompass more professions. Humanists proposed a more rounded education that placed the emphasis not only on intellectual learning, but also on physical and moral development.

This new humanism also placed importance in the individual’s responsibilities of citizenship and leadership, including the participation in the political process in the community. The general humanism belief was that the scholastic type of education did not instill a respect for public duty.

It was controversial for the new humanists to believe that the ancient ways of thinking had been outgrown and that a person’s thoughts should no longer be of abstract speculation or rely on Christian thinking. Humanisms popularity grew as more urban residents learned of it. These people tended to object to the traditional education system that was monopolized by the clergy and effectively excluded them. They could see that the new humanism could include them.

Humanism relied on flexible thinking and being open to all of the possibilities of life and less concerned with the thinking of the past (antiquity).

Humanists

The careers of individual humanists throw light on the movement as a whole. This is an abbreviated listing.

   * Petrarch (1304-1374) (Italian)
   * Cosimo de Medici (1389-1464) (Italian)
   * Desiderius Erasmus (c.1466-1536) (Dutch)
   * Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) (Italian)
   * Thomas More (1478-1535) (English)
   * Baldassare Castiglione (1478-1529) (Italian)

Classwork & Homework

Lesson PowerPoint: Humanism in the Renaissance

Lesson Activity:

Homework: Assignments