Skip to main content

How did people during the Renaissance view the ideas of ancient classical civilizations, like Greece and Rome?

During the Renaissance, there was a resurgence of interest in Greek and Roman civilizations. Throughout the Middle Ages most of the teaching and learning was church-centered. At the time of the Renaissance, the church had started to lose its hold on people’s thoughts and actions.


The invention of the printing press made books more widely available. In addition, the population was becoming wealthier and could afford these books. These readers from the upper classes and...

During the Renaissance, there was a resurgence of interest in Greek and Roman civilizations. Throughout the Middle Ages most of the teaching and learning was church-centered. At the time of the Renaissance, the church had started to lose its hold on people’s thoughts and actions.


The invention of the printing press made books more widely available. In addition, the population was becoming wealthier and could afford these books. These readers from the upper classes and nobility wanted to learn about history, math, finance, business, science, and philosophy outside the church’s teachings. They turned to the knowledge of the ancient Greeks and Romans to help them prepare to live and work in a much more secular world.


The Renaissance standard for what constituted an educated person was based on the Greek concept of a well-rounded man who could think, speak, and write about a variety of topics. Cicero and Demosthenes were favorite authors for these lessons. The study of politics drew on the workings of the Greek and Roman political systems. Renaissance architects recreated Greek and Roman style buildings. Depending on Greek and Roman texts for scientific knowledge also established another divide with the church.


As people began to question the authority of the church, they cast back to the days of ancient Greece and Rome to cull the knowledge gathered by those civilizations and bring it back into their own.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more