Context of the Renaissance Chapter Notes | AP European History - Grade 9 PDF Download

Introduction

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, Europe transitioned into the Middle Ages, or Medieval Period, spanning roughly from the 5th to the 15th century. This era was defined by feudalism, a hierarchical structure where landownership determined power, and the Catholic Church wielded significant influence over society. The early medieval period, often called the “Dark Ages,” experienced a decline in centralized governance and urban centers, though it was not entirely without progress. Nonetheless, advancements were slower compared to classical antiquity and the subsequent Renaissance era.

During the Middle Ages, Europe faced significant challenges, including the Black Death (1347–1351), which decimated approximately one-third of the population, and the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453), a prolonged struggle between England and France. These events, combined with economic shifts and internal Church conflicts, notably the Western Schism (1378–1417), disrupted medieval society. Yet, these disruptions also paved the way for transformation, as people began seeking new approaches to thought, governance, and creativity, setting the stage for the Renaissance.

The Renaissance: A Cultural and Intellectual Rebirth

• Originating in Italy during the 14th century and later spreading throughout Europe, the Renaissance, meaning "rebirth," was a period of renewed interest in classical texts, knowledge, and artistic expression. Scholars and intellectuals rediscovered ancient Greek and Roman writings, many preserved and translated by Byzantine and Islamic scholars during the Middle Ages. This revival spurred Humanism, a movement emphasizing the study of classical disciplines such as literature, philosophy, and history, and celebrating human potential and individual accomplishments.
• In contrast to medieval thought, which often centered on religious salvation and the afterlife, Renaissance thinkers like Petrarch, Erasmus, and Machiavelli explored secular themes alongside religious ones. This intellectual shift influenced the arts, with artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael adopting techniques such as realism, perspective, and human emotion in their works.

Economic and Social Transformations

• The Renaissance was not only a cultural movement but also an economic transformation. The emergence of commercial and agricultural capitalism, along with expanded trade networks linking Europe to the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, reshaped the economic landscape. 
• The Hanseatic League in Northern Europe and thriving Mediterranean trade routes brought wealth to the merchant class, challenging the traditional feudal structure.
• While agriculture remained vital, European economies grew more diverse:
  • Banking and finance advanced, with institutions like the Medici Bank in Florence laying the groundwork for modern capitalism.
  • Urbanization increased as individuals migrated to cities for opportunities in trade and artisan industries.
  • Social mobility saw slight improvements, allowing merchants and artisans to gain wealth and influence beyond the rigid feudal hierarchy.
• Although hierarchy and tradition remained dominant, the Renaissance established the foundation for a more dynamic and interconnected Europe.

Exploration and the Age of Discovery

• As Renaissance curiosity broadened intellectual horizons, it also inspired European ambitions beyond the continent. The concept of the "unknown world" captivated Europeans, driven by religious and economic motivations. The Catholic Church, still a powerful force, promoted the spread of Christianity overseas, particularly after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, which disrupted traditional trade routes to the East.
• Simultaneously, the pursuit of wealth, spices, and new trade routes spurred monarchs and explorers. Innovations in navigation, including the astrolabe, caravels, and improved maps, facilitated long-distance voyages. This period marked the beginning of global exploration, laying the foundation for European colonization and significant transformations in the early modern era.

Key Terms

• Agricultural Capitalism: Agricultural capitalism is an economic system where farming is organized for profit, using capital investments and advanced techniques to boost production. Emerging during the Renaissance, it responded to growing trade and urbanization, making landownership a key source of wealth.
• Ancient Rome: Ancient Rome refers to the civilization that began in the city of Rome and grew into a dominant empire from approximately 753 BC to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. Its contributions to governance, law, architecture, and culture profoundly influenced the Renaissance and Britain’s global role.
• Ancient Greece: Ancient Greece encompasses the civilization on the Greek peninsula from around the 8th century BC to the Roman conquest in the 2nd century BC. Its advancements in art, philosophy, politics, and science shaped Western culture and influenced Renaissance thought and the Scientific Revolution.
• Aristotle: Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher and polymath, profoundly impacted fields like science, philosophy, and politics through his emphasis on empirical observation and logic. His ideas influenced Renaissance intellectuals, the Scientific Revolution, and Enlightenment thinkers, shaping modern Western thought.
• Capitalism: Capitalism is an economic system where private individuals or businesses own capital goods and produce goods and services for profit. It fosters competition, innovation, and free markets, significantly shaping historical developments like the Renaissance.
• Cicero: Cicero, a Roman statesman, orator, and philosopher from 106 BC to 43 BC, contributed to Roman law and rhetoric. His writings on natural law and moral philosophy influenced Renaissance thinkers and intellectual discourse.
• Classical Texts: Classical texts are the foundational writings of ancient Greece and Rome, including works by philosophers, historians, and poets. Central to the Renaissance, they inspired scholars to revive and engage with ancient knowledge, influencing literature, art, and science.
• Columbian Exchange: The Columbian Exchange refers to the widespread exchange of plants, animals, foods, populations, diseases, and cultures between the Americas and the Old World after Columbus’s voyages in 1492, transforming economies and societies on both continents.
• Commercial Capitalism: Commercial capitalism is an economic system focused on investing capital in trade and commerce, emerging in Europe during the late Middle Ages and flourishing during the Renaissance, fostering trade routes and financial innovations that shaped modern capitalism.
• Commercial Revolution: The Commercial Revolution, spanning the late 13th to early 18th centuries, was a period of European economic expansion driven by trade, colonialism, and mercantilism. It reshaped social structures and laid the foundation for modern capitalist economies.
• Despotism: Despotism is a government system where a single ruler holds absolute power, often exercised arbitrarily. During the Renaissance, despots in city-states wielded authority through military and political means, fostering cultural achievements but often limiting political freedoms.
• Feudal Society: Feudal society was a medieval European hierarchical structure based on landownership and relationships between lords, vassals, and serfs, defining social classes and political dynamics as Europe transitioned toward the Renaissance.
• Great Schism: The Great Schism of 1054 was the division between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, driven by theological, political, and cultural disputes. It influenced religious and political changes during the Renaissance and the rise of new monarchies.
• Humanism: Humanism, a Renaissance intellectual movement, emphasized human potential, individual achievement, and the study of classical texts, shifting focus from medieval scholasticism to literature, philosophy, and history.
• Middle Ages: The Middle Ages, from the 5th to the 15th century, followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire and were marked by feudalism, Catholic Church dominance, and cultural transformations that set the stage for the Renaissance.
• Oligarchy: An oligarchy is a power structure where a small elite group holds control. During the Renaissance, many city-states were governed by wealthy families, shaping political, economic, and cultural developments to reflect their interests.
• Overseas Colonies: Overseas colonies are territories controlled by a foreign country for economic, political, or strategic purposes, driving trade, cultural exchange, and conflict during the Renaissance and beyond.
• Plato: Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher from approximately 427 to 347 BCE, shaped Western philosophy with his works on ethics, politics, and metaphysics. His ideas influenced Renaissance scholars, promoting reason and the pursuit of knowledge.
• Price Revolution: The Price Revolution, occurring in the 16th and early 17th centuries, was a period of sustained inflation in Europe due to an influx of New World precious metals, disrupting economies and impacting trade and society.
• Secularism: Secularism is the separation of religion from political, social, and educational institutions, prioritizing reason and empirical evidence. It emerged during the Renaissance, fostering new perspectives on governance and science.
• Serfdom: Serfdom was a medieval system where peasants, or serfs, were bound to the land and subject to landowners’ authority, shaping social, economic, and political dynamics in Europe.
• The Renaissance: The Renaissance, beginning in 14th-century Italy, was a cultural movement reviving classical art, literature, and learning, spreading across Europe and influencing philosophy, science, and politics.
• 100 Years War: The Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453) was a series of conflicts between England and France over territorial and dynastic disputes, shaping national identities and warfare tactics in the late medieval period.