Italy was the birthplace of renaissance because of 3 vital reasons, italy’s location, wealthy merchant class and connection to its roman roots. Italy is located in between eastern and western europe making it easy for her to trade, and spread her ideas through trade. Her four city states - Florence, Milan, Venice and the papal states helped her expand her trade as they grew more powerful and wealthy. Italy was the first to begin renaissance due to its wealthy merchant class also, many such as the medici family funded and encouraged the development of arts, and italy’s connection to its ancient roman roots also inspired much of the art and architecture during renaissance.
Florence became a wealthy city of italy due to its trade of textiles and mainly wool, both of which were very profitable trade during the renaissance period, florence also became an important banking center due to the presence of the medici family. The medici family were wool merchants and bankers, both of which were very profitable businesses, and the family became extremely wealthy. The medici family moved to florence by starting the medici bank.
Vernacular is the language that is spoken by the common man. The benefit of writing in the vernacular language is helping the common man have direct access to literature and texts. The common man does not need to depend on any external source for knowledge and information, rather the common man can be independent. Forming their own ideas and principles and help develop their individuality and identity. An example of the benefit of writing in the vernacular language is when martin luther translated the bible into the vernacular language of germany (german). The germans were unable to understand the bible as it was written in latin and greek, and the germans depended on the church for a source of information to understand the bible, but the church in fact was driven by greed, and took advantage of the fact that the germans were unable to understand the bible, and created letters of indulgence. Letters of indulgence were a concept of helping one pay off their sins, and such a concept did not exist in the bible. While the rich benefitted by buying off their sins, the poor suffered unable to buy off their sins, and those who didn't buy off their sins, would end up in hell. Martin luther identified the treachery by the church and decided to translate the bible into the vernacular language, allowing citizens to read the bible and understand the bible, this independence helped citizens to realise that the church in fact was taking advantage of them.
Artists during the medieval period focused on different aspects of art in comparison to artists during the renaissance period. Artists during the medieval period focused on depicting concepts such as religion and the Christianity. Majority of the art during the medieval period depicted god and were centered around religion. The art during the medieval period also were flat, did not have realistic proportions and used single colors on objects. Art during the renaissance period focused on concepts such as humanism and realism, artists made their paintings and art about more than just god, but rather celebrated humans, the art during this period used more techniques such as light and perspective which made their paintings look more realistic as the subjects they were trying to depict.
The church's motives when selling the letters of indulgence was to gain money in order to build the saint basilicas peoples church and also for personal needs, The church was able to sell the letters of indulgence because the bible was not written in the vernacular language, preventing the common man from reading and understanding the bible themselves! The church had taken advantage of the common man's lack of knowledge. The letters of indulgence were put to a stop when Martin luther, a priest has translated the bible into the vernacular language, allowing the common man to understand the bible. The common man understood that the church in fact has taken advantage of them! Armed with the knowledge of the bible, the people started protesting for their money back, as in the bible there is no such thing as letters of indulgence, the end result of this protesting split the church in two! the protestants church and the roman catholic church.
Reformation is the period that took place after the beginning of renaissance. Reformation was the reformation of the church. The reformation of church took place after Martin luther translated the bible into the vernacular language, enabling the common man their independence and allowing them to understand that the church has in fact taken advantage of them, by selling letters of indulgence. Once the common man understood that they were taken advantage of, they started protesting, the common man wanted their money that the church has unrightfully taken. These protests lead the church splitting in two! the protestants church and the roman catholic church.
Renaissance was a period wherein the study and exploration of art and architecture flourished. Art and Architecture during this period was contrastingly different then the previous periods focusing on different elements and concepts. Art and Architecture during the renaissance period focused on depicting man, the art and architecture of this period focused on the concepts of humanism and realism, bringing more humane concepts to art and architecture and making paintings and statues look alive. There were also many concepts that were used to make paintings look more realistic such as the use of light and shadows. The art and architecture of this period were heavily influenced by the ancient art and architecture of the roman and greek civilisations.
The medieval church had gone corrupt when it started selling letters of indulgence, the letters of indulgence were a mean to unrightfully take money from the common man, this was not a problem for the rich, it surely was a issue for the poor, the church had started taking the common man's money unrightfully in order to build the saint basilica church and also for personal reasons, the churches unrightfully taking the common man's money was the root of its corruption.