Wonderful Italy

By: Hannah K, Caitlyn P,Gao Ying V,

Caylee J

Introduction

For our project, we researched Italy. We had topics that we did on our own

such as the arts, religion, foods, and holidays. We hope you enjoy our book!

Arts

Italy! Known for its arts. Some of the greatest Western painters, architects,

and sculptors are from Italy. Giotto, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci,

Titian, Bernini, Caravaggio, and Modigliani are from Italy. So from the earliest

times, Italian has left their mark on every major artistic movement of the Western

world. Italian Renaissance writers produced a number of important works.

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Now onto Italian art! Italy has made important contributions to the art, architecture, literature, and

theater. Italy has been a birthplace and center of the arts for centuries, shaping art movements through

out Europe and the world. Italian art is a combination of articles describing various periods of Italian art.

More over the art selected are traditional Italian arts representing hundreds and some cases thousands

of years of history.

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And now, more art. The Romans also played a key role in the development of

Western architecture. Also, to be offered by life in Italy, the art works and crafts

must be made by hand in Italy. In the 1300’s and 1400’s, the thriving culture life

of Italian cities such as Florence, Milan, and Venice developed into the movement

known as the Renaissance. The many beautiful churches through out Italy stand

as proof of the remarkable abilities of Italian architects.

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Religion

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There is one kind of religion in Italy. The largest religion group in Italy is by

far Catholicism. 90% of Italy is Roman Catholic. Catholics make up 87.8% of the

population. Many Catholics are finding alternate ways to worship.

Few Italians attend church regularly. 10% of others occasionally attend

church. 30.8%attend church every Sunday. Most baptisms, weddings, and

funerals are held in church.

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Italian constitution guarantees freedom of religion. 10% does not

participate on a regular basis. 36.8% consider themselves practicing Catholics.

Religion plays an important role in the lives of many Italians.

Holidays

My topic is about Italian holidays. First is about the important history of

Italy holidays. There’s a festival of Unity, it has a purpose; held in Grado, Italy, it

shows debates, concerts, art shows dancing, and food. May Day isn’t just a

workers holiday, but a day left parties hit the streets and protest lots of problems.

Liberation Day is when after Italy surrendered, Nazi Germany consider it as a new

enemy and intensified the anti partigan operation againest free Italian fighters. In

July, Venetians celebrate the end of the plague of 1576. The festival of the

Republic on June 2, marks the day in 1946 when Italy voted in a referendum to

get rid of the monarchy to become a republic. The Feast of the Immaculate

Conception on the eighth of December is a Holy Day of Obligation.

There’s also fun festivals in Italy too. The excitement for fun and drama is

shown in lots of festivals held each year. In some traditions, the Befana (a Santa

version in Italy) leaves toys and candles for good children, bad children get pieces

of coal. Verona, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet setting, holds a film festival.

Castel San Pietro has a fair called a Fair of Mutton Chops. Torre Annunziata

celebrates Festival of Spaghetti!

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Best of all, at the end of the year, Christmas (and the birth of Jesus).

Christmas is a family time or get together, in Italy. As with lots of Italian

festivals,feasts, holidays, and carnivals, traditional foods is an important part of

Christmas. It’s also a holiday with tons of eating, there is a two-day feast that

starts on Christmas Eve. At Christmas time, lots of churches put beautiful scenes

about the birth of Jesus. Assisi and other friars (that are similar to monks) made

songs in Italian about Jesus’ birth. Celebrated on January 6, it usually began as a

celebration of when Jesus was born, and still celebrated as a holiday at the

Eastern Orthodox Church in Italy.

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Foods

Did you ever want to know what it is like to have a meal in Italy? Well now

is your time to find out! First, The Italian food, pasta. Pasta comes in many

different forms, as you may already know, for example Linguini, Fettuccine,

Butterfly, Penne, and Macaroni. There are many sauces for pasta too. Pasta from

Italy is very different from the pasta in America, it is healthier for example. Pasta

was also known to come from China going to Italy, but this is not true, pasta was

actually invented in Italy. Italian pizza is also different from the American pizza. It

was invented in the 1700’s. Fish are also in a basic diet of Italians.

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Recipe.jpeg

A family meal in Italy may last one to four hours. Italians love good food.

Conversation at the table may include soccer, family matters, business, and local

events. It is also traditional to eat as family, but now days it is less common.

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Italy is famous for food. Their creations are wonderful, for example, pizza

and pasta. (Yum) Italians love to discover new foods just as much as they love to

prepare it. Also food in Italy is very healthy, that is why you don’t see very many

fat people in Italy.

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Conclusion

That is what we each researched about the arts, religion, foods, and

holidays. We hoped you learned a lot about Italy and hope you enjoyed it!