The Renaissance was a time of great creativity, art, new ideas and inventions.
It was an exciting time for Europe especially after the devastation of the plague.
It started in the city of Florence, Italy. Florence was one of the richest cities in Europe at this time. A very rich family, the Medici, were huge supporters of art. Many amazing artists moved to Florence to be paid by Lorenzo Medici to make works of art. Soon Florence was packed with many talented artists.
The word Renaissance means "rebirth." During this time, Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa which is on your study guide. Michelangelo painted the Sistene Chapel. It has thousands of Christian paintings along the walls and ceiling of a church. A man named Nicholaus Copernicus studied astronomy. He wrote articles about the Earth orbiting the sun. This was a new idea since many believed the Earth was the center of the universe. In England, books and drama became very popular. They included the plays of William Shakespeare. Some of his famous plays are: Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Hamlet.
The Renaissance was much more than just making art. Paintings became more realistic, showing nature and human emotion. In addition, a brighter future and a better life was an option for people who had survived the plague. In conclusion, the Renaissance was a time period of new ideas and hope. It produced lots of famous architecture, paintings, sculptures, inventions, and books.