History: Renaissance and Humanism XIV-XVII C RENAISSANCE -> rebirth >< Middle Age Antiquity art (architecture, sculpture,

re, painting,) God ancient Greece Rome culture human knowledge - science - philosophy Why? fall of Constantinople -> Eastern Roman empire (1453)

Humanism -> focus on human characteristics polymath (esprit universel) - Da Vinci individual merit >< predestination (MA) merchant a single person personal involvement-> what you do burgesses one by one <-> group => freedom education (history, philosophy, art, literature) life on Earth is full of beauty (><journey to heaven)

The term Renaissance man refers to someone who is knowledgeable and accomplished in awide variety of subjects, in both the arts and sciences (a polymath).Leonardo da Vinci Middle Age people's life main hope was finding eternal salvation. Humanists attitude focus on individual merit. Education is important to humanists because it should stimulate students creative powers. Humanists had great interests in arts.

Age of Discovery (XVth C)

Europe - Portugal - Spain -UK 1492

Genoa-Venice

Colombus

Fall of Constantinople in 1453 Asia Constantinople - India - Cathay (China) - Japan

Middle East Africa Islam Treaty of Tordesillas

- gold - God -Cathay+India

The Age of Discovery began in 1400, and it was to take Europeans around the world, discovering new and exciting places.

Marco Polo, was a famous merchant and explorer from Venice. Whilst on their way back home, the Polos followed an ancient trading route where rich jewels, spices and silks could be found. Christopher Columbus is probably the most famous explorer of all. Born in Genoa, a town in Italy in 1471, he became interested in ships as a young boy. He got married and settled in Lisbon where he made various sea voyages, gaining excellent skills as as navigator. He found America in 1492. Columbus stated his ambition was Gold, God and Cathay. By gold he meant the fortune he could make by bringing back spices and silks from foreign lands. By God he was referring to his desire to spread Christianity to non-Christian countries, claiming new lands in the name of God. Cathay was an ancient name for China, and Columbus was obsessed with the Far East, desperate to lead an expedition there. The most desired trading goods were gold, silver and spices. Numerous nations built and sailed ships during the Age of Discovery, including England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and several Scandinavian countries. In addition to discovering two new continents, North and South America, these nations also formed colonies all over the globe. The formation of colonies during the Age of Discovery would have far reaching impacts which continue to this day. By forming a colony, a nation could monopolize a particular product, and expand it political and social power. Many of these nations were very reluctant to let their colonies go, and many were not returned to native rule until the twentieth century. The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed at Tordesillas (now in Valladolid province, Spain), 7 June 1494, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands (off the west coast of Africa).