What was renaissance humanism?
an intellectual movement based on the study of the classical literary works of Greece and Rome (studied poetry, rhetoric, etc…)
Who was considered the father of Italian Renaissance humanism?
Petrarch
What did Petrarch say about the Middle Ages, and was the first one to?
that the Middle Ages was a period of darkness, promoting the mistaken belief that medieval culture was ignorant of antiquity.
What kind of qualms did humanists use as a model for prose? Poetry?
Cicero; Virgil
What is civic humanism?
Florentine civil pride in the 15th century that tied to humanism.
Who served as the inspiration for the Renaissance ideal that it was the duty of an intellectual to live an active life for one’s state (after Bruni)?
Cicero
FACT: Humanists thought that their studies should be put to the service of the state
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What did Lorenzo Valla try to do in “The Elegances of the Latin Language”?
to purify medieval Latin and restore Latin to its proper position over the vernacular
FACT: Humanists began taking an interest in classical Greek civilization in the first half of the 15th century
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What was “Neoplatonism”?
invented by Ficino, he devoted his life to the translation of Plato
FACT: In the second half of the 15th century, an uprise of the works of Plato began.
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What two ideas were Neoplatonism based on?
hierarchy of substances and the theory of spiritual love
What was Hermetiscism?
writings that consisted of one of two types: 1) occult sciences (astrology, magic) – 2) theological and philosophical beliefs and speculations
Who were “magi”?
people (who Hermets believed) who had knowledge of God and the truth who tried to purify their souls
How was humanism involved in schools?
It was taught to the boys in school. Girls studied classics and learned how to ride, dance, sing, etc…
What did Guicciardini do that was so famous?
able to analyze political situations precisely and critically (with proof)
What was new to Europe in the 15th century about the printing press?
multiple printing with movable metal type
How were religious ideas impacted by the printing press?
ideas were spread more quickly
