Definitions Quiz: Optics, Theology, Credit, Perspective

Study Notes

Florentine Government

Florence was governed by a committee of priors, chosen by lot and serving for only two months at a time.

Comparison of Rome, Venice, and Florence

Rome was different from Venice and Florence because its civilian leaders had to share power with Church leaders and it became poorer and smaller while the other two cities grew bigger and richer.

Humanism

Humanists studied Greek and Latin texts in various subject areas, including literature, drama, philosophy, and history.
They also studied Hebrew and the Bible.

Renaissance Architecture and Art

Renaissance architectural styles adapted ancient Roman building styles to the modern world.
Renaissance art looked realistic and imitated nature, using perspective to make paintings look three-dimensional.

The Medici Family

The Medici family dominated politics in Florence for decades.
Cosimo de’ Medici was the wealthiest and most powerful man in Florence, funding a library and the building of churches.
His grandson Lorenzo was a patron of many great thinkers and artists, including Leonardo da Vinci.

Famous Artists and Thinkers

Leonardo da Vinci completed the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa, and kept notebooks with sketches of his inventions and paintings.
Michelangelo completed the Pietà, the David, and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Machiavelli believed that republics were the best form of government and that a ruthless leader was the quickest way to bring about change and ensure a state's survival.

Renaissance in Rome

During the 1400s CE, Rome was reconstructed and became a Renaissance city.
The pope moved to St. Peter's Basilica and built the Sistine Chapel, and also built a new bridge across the Tiber River.
Artists discovered ancient statues and paintings.

The Printing Press and Its Impact

The printing press led to the creation of a new print business and an annual book fair in Frankfurt.
It gave more people access to the written word and enabled writers to profit from book sales.
It also led to the beginning of legal protections called privileges, which are the ancestors of modern copyright.

Key Terms

Optics: the science that deals with light and images.
Theology: the study of religious faith, practice, and experience.
Credit: a system of buying now and paying later.
Perspective: a technique used to make something that is flat appear to have depth, in addition to height and width.
Indulgence: the removal or reduction of certain punishments for sin, linked to a special act of penance.
Penance: an act, such as praying, done to show regret over some wrongdoing.
Purge: removal from a group or place in a sudden or violent way.
Censor: to remove or prohibit books, art, films, or other media that the government finds offensive, immoral, or harmful.

Historical Context

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the empire's government and education system fell apart.
Western Europe fell out of contact with the Eastern Roman Empire, and knowledge of the Greek language faded.
Monasteries preserved some of the knowledge of ancient Rome by copying books in Latin, especially Christian texts and works of Latin philosophy.

Intellectual Contributions

Europeans acquired the learning of the ancient Greeks from the works of Muslim scholars.
They acquired knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and other subjects from the works of Ibn al-Haytham, Ibn Sina, and Ibn Rushd.
Universities contributed to the development of the Renaissance by creating a standard education across Europe and serving as centers of learning.
Italy became the wealthiest region of Europe through trade.
Venice was governed by a doge, who was elected by the city's elite and ruled for life.

Description

Test your knowledge on the definitions of various terms such as optics, theology, credit, and perspective. See how well you understand different concepts in the fields of science, religion, finance, and art.