THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

BEGINNING OF THE RENAISSANCE

• Authority was placed in the church, they held the answer for everything.• Their authority was never questioned

• Italians lacked respect for science.• Except for Leonardo di Vinci

POLITICAL HISTORY

• Five Important States• Milan• Venice• Florence• Papal Domain• Naples

CITY-STATE PROFILES

• Helpful Webpages • http://vlib.iue.it/carrie/texts/carrie_books/gilbert/03.html• http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/endmiddle/c-

states.html• Good for Milan and Florence

• http://faculty.uml.edu/CulturalStudies/Italian_Renaissance/5.htm

END OF THE RENAISSANCE

• Rome sacked in 1527• Changing role of the Pope• Politics• Constant Wars, all bloodless until 1494 when French

arrived• Pure Italian Wars• Country Defenseless• Foreign Intervention

WHAT DID THE RENAISSANCE GIVE US?

• Aftermath• Broke down the rigid scholastic system• Revived the study of Plato and Aristotle• It encouraged the habit of regarding intellectual activity

as a delightful social adventure, not a cloistered meditation aiming at the preservation of a predetermined orthodoxy.

RENAISSANCE HUMANISM

• Seeking Wisdom of the Ancients• Scholarship Challenges Tradition• Linguistic Correctness• Confronting the Original Texts

MACHIAVELLI

NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

• Born and died in Florence• Most important works• The Prince• Discourses on Livy

NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

• The Prince• How should a Prince act?• Foundation of states?• Art of War• Ends justify the means.• What is the fear in trying new things?• Safer to be feared then loved.

NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

• Discourses on Livy• How should a Prince act?• Foundation of states?• Art of War• Checks and Balances• Ignorance of the people

SECONDARY SOURCES

• Reading Machiavelli in Iraq• Iraq like Italy• Who did Machiavelli influence?

• That’s what Machiavelli can teach us• Misunderstood for his time• Wrote from his experiences

ASSIGNMENT: DUE NOV. 8TH

• 1. Locate a primary and or secondary source.• 2. Read and annotate the source and provide

notes and comments.• 3. Write a 1-2 paragraphs connecting your source

with class sources and show relevance to study of the Italian Renaissance.

• REMINDERS!!!!• Find an academic source not an opinion based article.• Reference rubric to obtain full credit.