PART 2
Remind students that in the 1300s, the period known as the Middle Ages was coming to an end. People throughout Europe began to realize that institutions like feudal governments and the Catholic Church were not all powerful: they had failed repeatedly to maintain peace and to provide for a continent ravaged by the Black Plague. As a result, Europeans began to question these institutions and the underlying assumptions which kept them in power.
In addition, the Crusades had introduced Europe to trade routes and new goods from Asia. The resulting increase in commerce led to a wealthier, more powerful merchant class in Europe. Members of this middle class spent their fortunes on works like new schools, magnificent buildings, paintings, and sculptures, much of it intended for public enjoyment. Such extravagant public displays of wealth helped to elevate the status of any merchant who chose to become a patron of the arts.
Introducing the Renaissance - approximately 1300s-1600s
The term renaissance literally means “rebirth.” This was a period in Europe when major change was taking place. In many ways, it was the rebirth (return) of Europe as it had been during the days of Ancient Greece and Rome. Trade increased, merchants became wealthy, new learning took place, interest in the arts blossomed, and towns and cities grew. The gloom and despair of the Middle Ages had been chased away by the brilliance of a new era, the Renaissance!
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