Renaissance means “Rebirth”. It is characterized by the increased interest in classical art and values. It began in the 14th century and peaked in the 16th century. It was the era directly after Medievalism. In the Renaissance era, humanity moved away from religion and toward nature and the individual.$^1$
Renaissance developed along side Humanism. Humanism was the philosophy that focused on the human interests and needs. in contrast, the in the Middle Ages, art and literature was exclusively religious. Along with this, the Renaissance including the studying of ancient Greek and Roman mythology, history, literature, philosophy, and art. $^1$
The Renaissance started in northern Italy. It was centered around four Italian city states. These city states rose because Italy did not unit during the Middle Ages.$^0$
The four city states are:$^0$
These city states were each independent and very rich.
The Medici family owned the most successful and trusted banking business in Europe. They used this wealth to spread art and philosophy. Lorenzo De Medici spent a lot of his time and money on the same. He hired philosophers to go through and read many of the old Greek writing. He commissioned many pieces of arts that portrayed certain qualities.$^3$
In the middle ages, Europe was rigid socially, politically, and religiously. However, increased interactions around beginning of the Renaissance between different societies, cultures, and religions began to shake this rigid structure. The Renaissance was the shift in worldview and perspectives of those in Europe.$^4$
Vast trade networks, chiefly the silk road, allowed for this increased interaction. These trade networks not only led to the exchange of goods, but for the exchange of ideas, beliefs, and values. The silk road connect Europe to the far reaches of Asia. Many goods sold in the Chinese and Mongolian markets were highly sought after in Europe. The Middle East traded with both sides. This led to them gathering not only a varied set of goods, but of knowledge. Middle Eastern civilizations became the centers of knowledge and learning.$^4$
The crusades were a major set of interactions between Europe and the Holy Land in the Middle East. The Holy Land was important to three religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. There were 9 main crusades. The goal was to capture the Holy Land from the Muslim rulers that controlled the area. These clashes led to the spreading and sharing of knowledge, philosophy, and culture. The Europeans arrived in Middle Eastern civilizations, which are major centers of knowledge. These Europeans were then exposed to new ideas and inventions.$^4$