How Did Renaissance Change The Course Of The Renaissance?

Two eras that changed the course of mankind were the Renaissance and the Reformation. The Renaissance, an era that takes its name from the French word for "rebirth," began in late 14th-century Italy. It came to maturity in the 15th century, and spread to the rest of Europe after the middle of that century. Following the devastation of the black plague, it marked not only the physical recovery of the human population across Europe, but also an artistic, intellectual, scientific, and philosophical revival that paved the way for countless crucial advances.

The origin of the Renaissance was due to the expansion of European trade with Asia. The growing exploration and colonization of the world made fortunes for bankers and merchants, allowing
families to wield enough power to control governments. Italy had city-states with their own wealthy rulers. The Medicis, for example, were the leading family in Florence; Cosimo de’ Medici funded the re-creation of Florence, ensuring its place as the most vibrant city in Europe. Other cities such as Genova, Venice, and Milan soon followed in becoming dynamic centers of international trade, art, literature, architecture, and high finance.

Powerful figures such as the Medicis and Pope Alexander VI were eminent patrons of the arts and employed prominent artists and architects to build, decorate, and design the world’s finest churches.
Some of the significant artists active during the Renaissance were Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Botticelli. New artistic techniques, which included fresco painting, the law of perspective, and the study of human anatomy, became the gateway to contemporary art forms.

The prime intellectual movement of the Renaissance, humanism, focused on the value of human life and achievements. While scholars and artists during the Middle Ages generally centered their studies and work around religion, this focus shifted during the Renaissance. Scholars stopped asking questions about God and began looking at humans. Scholars studied the classical Greek and Roman works and developed humanistic tenets that included the necessity of each individual finding truth for himself or herself and the fundamental dignity and worth of all people.

Humanism, by stressing that man was the center of the universe rather than God, led to the expansion of science. Our intellectual communities owe a debt to the Renaissance and the bold affirmation of the human spirit that defined it. Individuals such as
Nicolaus
Copernicus and Galileo Galilei heralded the start of a scientific revolution. The practice of experimentation, observation and the use of mathematics were introduced in the late Renaissance. Scientists formed societies to discuss and publish their discoveries, which increased scientific knowledge.

In 1440 Johannes Gutenberg, a German goldsmith and printer, developed the first system of movable type that allowed for mass production of books. The invention revolutionized book making and remains one of the most important inventions in history. It increased literacy because it made books and manuscripts more affordable and available. Printing tremendously increased the output and accuracy and decreased the cost of texts. Inexpensive printed materials afforded all people opportunities for literacy and learning, while it encouraged talented people to write.

By the 15th century, modernist thinking had extended beyond Italy. Scientific headway contradicted traditional religious teachings, eroding the Church’s mastery. Citizens started doubting the Church's religious authority and powers. Many felt that religious representatives were corrupt and had lost their focus on spiritual leadership. Humanists pointed to the materialistic lifestyles of popes and higher levels of clergy. Bishops and priests were accused of nepotism for appointing relatives to the Church, of simony for selling appointments to Church offices, and of selling indulgences.

Such discontent led to the Protestant Reformation, which is said to have begun in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his “95 Theses” to the door of his local church in the German university town of Wittenberg. This launched a wave of change that swept through Europe, countering and modifying the Renaissance as it went. Luther and his supporters sought to get rid of corruption and restore people’s faith in the church. By 1521, Luther had been branded a heretic and excommunicated. However, his popular appeal led to a religious schism. Those who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church became known as Protestants.
By the mid-16th century Calvinism, a separate Protestant religion that started in Switzerland, was more popular than Lutheranism. The Reformation led to the emergence of Puritanism and the Anglican Church in England, Presbyterians in Scotland, Huguenots in France, and so forth. The Catholic Church eventually saw the need to reform by raising the standards of the clergy, renewing zeal for morality, reforming the papacy, and addressing corruption.
One influential religious being was Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch scholar and theologian. Although ordained a Catholic priest, he sought to reform the Catholic Church, not destroy it. His work In Praise of Folly was a best seller. In it, he criticized the immorality and hypocrisy of church leaders and clergy. He ridiculed superstition, prejudice, upper-class privileges, and Church abuses. By satirizing social evils, Erasmus encouraged people to think about reforms. Another trailblazer was the political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli. The introduction of his novel The Prince discussed realist politics while publicly suggesting immoral behavior as a means of maintaining government stability.
I personally believe that the Renaissance had the greatest impact on early modern Europe. This rebirth gave way to the most fundamental break from the past. Although it is arguably the romantic in me, which finds the period to be a golden age of revival, despite exaggerated accounts. Both the Renaissance and Reformation stemmed innovative approaches to society and cultural identity. Thus, the movements caused changes that defined many aspects of modern life.