Overview
The people of the Middle Ages experienced death of their economic system, culture and of society. During that time the lively and vibrant culture that had been present during the time of the Romans and the Greeks was lost. The people of the Renaissance however, saw the rebirth of the ancient Roman and Greek cultures. Literally Renaissance means, "rebirth."
The man distinguished for coining the term Renaissance, or rebirth, was Jacob Burckhardt, and he did so in his book The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy. In his book he argued that Italy had been the birthplace for the modern world and that it was the first to experience the cultural revival that defined the Renaissance. Most agree that, while Burckhardt failed to elaborate on the spiritual side of the Renaissance and focused largely on the secular side, he was spot on with most everything he said. The one point of contention most modern historians seem to have with Burckhardt is that he believed the the Renaissance marked and immediate change from the ways of the Middle Ages whereas historians today believe it was more of a gradual thing.
The Renaissance was a time of urban living and a time of the enjoyment of secular pleasures. This was because in Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, city states were very common by the mid-fourteenth century. The rise of urban life was largely due to the influx of economic wealth that was brought on by trade during that period. As trade increased so did the wealth and the standard of living in the city, which in turn attracted attention.
While the Renaissance had a lot to do with the implementing of the old Greek and Roman cultures it also brought about a society that was very conscious of the individual ability of a person. It was almost a form of the perfect person; one who was able to accomplish everything he set his mind to no matter what it may be. This emphasis of the, "perfect person," in the Renaissance, as opposed to the emphasis placed on reality in the Middle Ages, was likely one of the biggest reasons why the Renaissance came about. Instead of emphasizing and depicting a morbid depressing era, while it was realistic, the perfect person and society was emphasized bringing a common goal and hope to the people of the Renaissance. A force that drove them to accomplish the things that they did.
The man distinguished for coining the term Renaissance, or rebirth, was Jacob Burckhardt, and he did so in his book The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy. In his book he argued that Italy had been the birthplace for the modern world and that it was the first to experience the cultural revival that defined the Renaissance. Most agree that, while Burckhardt failed to elaborate on the spiritual side of the Renaissance and focused largely on the secular side, he was spot on with most everything he said. The one point of contention most modern historians seem to have with Burckhardt is that he believed the the Renaissance marked and immediate change from the ways of the Middle Ages whereas historians today believe it was more of a gradual thing.
The Renaissance was a time of urban living and a time of the enjoyment of secular pleasures. This was because in Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, city states were very common by the mid-fourteenth century. The rise of urban life was largely due to the influx of economic wealth that was brought on by trade during that period. As trade increased so did the wealth and the standard of living in the city, which in turn attracted attention.
While the Renaissance had a lot to do with the implementing of the old Greek and Roman cultures it also brought about a society that was very conscious of the individual ability of a person. It was almost a form of the perfect person; one who was able to accomplish everything he set his mind to no matter what it may be. This emphasis of the, "perfect person," in the Renaissance, as opposed to the emphasis placed on reality in the Middle Ages, was likely one of the biggest reasons why the Renaissance came about. Instead of emphasizing and depicting a morbid depressing era, while it was realistic, the perfect person and society was emphasized bringing a common goal and hope to the people of the Renaissance. A force that drove them to accomplish the things that they did.