Title: The Renaissance Question: Why was the Renaissance important?

Essay by confessionboothHigh School, 12th gradeA-, April 2004

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Topic: Renaissance

Class: History

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Point of view: 3rd person

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The Renaissance was a really important turning point in Western thinking and cultural tradition. All of these changes centered on the idea of Humanism -- in which, people became less "God Centered" and more "Human-centered". I have narrowed down these changes, and will discuss in detail, these changes in three major categories: Political, Education, and the Humanism of Arts.

The big political changes of the Renaissance were from the

old Feudal System of the Middle Ages into a more flexible and liberal

class system. This was most noticeable in Italy (particularly in Florence), where the divisions consisted of the old rich, the new rich nobles, the middle class, and the lower middle class (The poor didn't count). This created great conflict between these social divisions. The new rich consisted of successful merchants, capitalists, and bankers innovators of new systems of making money.

The Humanism philosophy was also a very popular with the people and many political leaders rose to high positions with support of these ideals. Three humanists even became chancellors of Florence -- they used their rhetorical skills to strongly rally the people of Florence against their enemies.

The great changes in Education of the Renaissance were inspired at first, by the desire of Humanists to be wise and to speak expressively. The idea of useful education for the people, and very "well rounded" schooling in many different areas of learning were the new defined goals of Renaissance education. People all over revived the Ancient Greek studies of Plato, Aristotle, and many others. People began seriously questioning what these people said and re-developed the "Scientific Theory" in which you didn't just accept whatever was said to you, but you tested its truth.

In the area...