The Impact of the Renaissance Era Essay Example

The Renaissance began in the 1200’s and lasted through the Reformation of the 1500’s.This period in time marked the rebirth of humanism, and the revival of cultural achievements for their own sake in all forms of art, including music. The word "Renaissance" in itself is defined as a "rebirth"or a "reconstruction".(Law, John E. ) “Many aspects of this movement had some influence on American development. The Renaissance replaced a religious point of view with a secular one, making man rather than God the focal point wit reference to are, literature, and the government. “( pulliam, 21)The Renaissance was a really important turning point in Western thinking and cultural tradition. All of these changes centered on the idea of Humanism -- in which, people became less "God Centered" and more "Human-centered"."Renaissance Humanism was a European intellectual movement beginning in Florence in the last decades of the 14th century. The humanist movement developed from the rediscovery by European scholars of many Latin and Greek texts. Initially, a humanist was simply a teacher of Latin literature. By the mid-15th century humanism described a curriculum — the studia humanitatis — comprising grammar, rhetoric, moral philosophy, poetry and history as studied via classical authors. The early beliefs of humanism were that, although God created the universe, it was humans that developed and industrialized it".( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_humanism). During the Renaissance era the social scene was on point. During this time many changes happened in fashion, food, and events. Renaissance fashion and costumes mirrored the advancing culture, as increasing trade made more clothing materials available. Nobility dressed themselves in elaborate and brightly colored robes, gowns and other vestments. The upper class reserved silk for themselves, and in some areas, peasants were forbidden to possess it. Those living during the Renaissance would adorn themselves in jewelry,