Social Chapter 8 & 2-3

Study Notes

Key People:
- Marco Polo: Venetian merchant who traveled from Europe to Asia.
- Medici Family: Powerful Florentine traders (13th-17th centuries). Known for their wealth, patronage of the arts, and development of banking.
- Petrarch: Dutch humanist who considered classical times superior to the medieval period.
- Erasmus: Northern Renaissance scholar.
- Michelangelo: Famous Italian Renaissance artist, commissioned by the Medici.
- Leonardo da Vinci: Italian Renaissance artist and inventor, in competition with Michelangelo for commissions.
Key Terms:
- Silk Road: Network of trade routes connecting the Mediterranean to the Pacific. Facilitated the exchange of ideas, philosophy, music, and worldviews.
- Crusades: Series of religious wars between Christian and Muslim forces in the Middle East.
- City-States: Politically independent cities and surrounding areas in Europe. Shared characteristics with countries currently.
- Republic: A country where power is held by the people, who elect their officials. Venice and other Italian countries were examples.
- Patron of the Arts: Sponsors of artistic projects and artists.
- Doge: Highest official in the Venetian Republic, a representative of the state
- Scuoles: Social institutions in Venice, serving religious functions (prayer, collections for the sick and dying.)
Other Important Points:
- The Medici Family, and other influential families, commissioned many works of art during the Renaissance.
- The Renaissance saw a renewed interest in classical knowledge and learning from the Roman and Greek civilizations.
- City-States were often politically independent and powerful in Europe.
- In Venice, the Doge was the highest official, holding a position comparable to a head of state.
- Religion played an active role in the social and political life of the time. Associations such as Scuoles in Venice were actively involved in social issues of the day.