What is the Italian Renaissance?
Q: What is the Italian Renaissance?
A: The Italian Renaissance was a period of great cultural change and achievement that began in Italy during the 14th century and lasted into the 17th century, marking the gradual transition from Medieval to Early Modern Europe.
Q: When did it start?
A: Some parts of the Italian Renaissance can be traced back to the earlier part of the 14th century, while other parts did not happen until the end of that century.
Q: What does "renaissance" mean?
A: The French word renaissance (Rinascimento in Italian) means "Rebirth". It refers to a renewed interest in classical antiquity culture.
Q: Who were some notable figures during this time?
A: During this period William Shakespeare wrote his plays, Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, Martin Luther had started a new religious movement, Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas and Johannes Gutenberg introduced printing to Europe.
Q: How did it spread northward?
A: As it moved northward, it changed from being primarily a classical movement into more of a religious movement.
Q: Who coined the term "renaissance"?
A: The term "renaissance" was first used in 1858 by French historian Jules Michelet.
