What is a worldview?
A worldview is a collection of beliefs about the world or the universe held by an individual or a group. We aren’t born with an individual worldview but are born into a collective worldview. Worldview are everywhere.
What is the renaissance?
It was the time from 1350 CE to 1600 Ce. In this time European scholars found ancient roman and Greek texts that opened them to a whole new way of thinking. In this time they also got to know other ways of thinking due to contact with other groups. Developments in literature, architecture, art and more were supported by the changing worldview and the great wealth of Italy.
How did other civilizations set stage for the renaissance?
- Silk road
The roman empire extended to what is now middle east. To do this they built the silk road. Items were moved by foot or by caravans. Through the silk road merchants, traders and travelers came in contact with other new groups through which ideas were passed and worldviews were shared. The silk road also spread diseases such as the black death. - Islamic civilization
The Islamic civilizations spread from west (North Africa) to east (Iran, Iraq). The SilkRoad was at crossroads with the Islamic empire, hence all trade was controlled by Muslim middlemen. This gave them enormous wealth and knowledge. The scholars collected documents and texts. They refined mathematical ideas from India.
How did the renaissance begin?
- Worldview before renaissance
The time before the renaissance is called the middle ages. In this time Christians believed that god was the center of the universe and human existence. Poor believed that would live a short and harsh life, and would be rewarded by going to heaven. The rich believed that if they donate to the church and to people in need then they would be rewarded in afterlife by going to heaven. Nobody every questioned the church’s ideas. Art and architecture was based on religion. Church officials were seen as gods chosen representatives on Earth. Popes ruled the roman catholic church and wealthy papal state. - The crusades
The crusades was a war between the Christian and the Islamic world for control over the holy land. Christianity, Islam and Judaism all came from the same religious history, this land was roots of their religion. Due to this armies met each other and were exposed to a whole new way of thinking. Pilgrims also visited holy sites on the way, learned about life different from theirs and had contact with other groups. All of them brought back these idea to their homeland.
Who was Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci?
He travelled the world with his father who was a merchant. He saw the advantages of the ideas of the Islam world when compared to the romans. He wrote a book that calculated profit from sales, lending and borrowing. His book also taught people how to convert currencies. The Fibonacci sequence is a number sequence in which a number is the sum of the two numbers before it. This sequence would then create a spiral that would match up with nature (ex: on pine cones and seashells.)
How did the social structure during the middle ages reflect the worldview of the time?
The social Structure:
King
Higher Clergy
Nobles
Lesser nobles, Knights, lower clergy
Serfs/peasants
The worldview:
At the time moving outside a person class was never a thought and people ability to change social class was not in the worldview. God’s will and his will were not to be questioned.
How might have black death changed the way people viewed the world?
- What caused the bubonic plague?
Rats carries fleas, these fleas had bacteria on them. The bacteria quickly spread from rats to humans. It started in asia but spread through europe later. - Why it spread
There was poor knowledge about the connection between hygiene and disease. There was poor sanitization. In Italy, because of flooding there was a famine. - Changing worldview
Since Italy didn’t have a lot of agricultural land people had to fine another source of income. They earned more from jobs and moved to cities. Because of black death people started valuing life and decided that there were more important things than religion.
How did the growth of cities contribute to a changing worldview?
- Trade
Because of silk road trade started to flourish. This increased contact with other groups. People were introduced to intellectual ideas from other groups. Merchants became wealthy and then had to power to influence leaders, changing to worldview. Because of trade people got to know that it was possible to move out of your social class. Increasing trade helped port cities (Florence, Genoa, Milan, Venice). - Urbanization
Because of black death people need to earn money. It had less agricultural land and no seeds, hence they got jobs in the city. This established trade and a successful shipping industry. - Cities.
Cities in Italy thrived as they had mountains as natural barriers, strong feudal system due to lack of agricultural land, and Italian city states governed themselves as Roman catholic church mover farther away. All cities started out as republics but later became despots (only leader) and oligarchies (a few people in power). They were at war with themselves but signed a peace treaty. City states send out ambassadors to keep in touch with other city states. They tried their best to reduce threats.
How did the growth of cities contribute to a changing worldview?
- Trade
Because of silk road trade started to flourish. This increased contact with other groups. People were introduced to intellectual ideas from other groups. Merchants became wealthy and then had to power to influence leaders, changing to worldview. Because of trade people got to know that it was possible to move out of your social class. Increasing trade helped port cities (Florence, Genoa, Milan, Venice).
Urbanization
Because of black death people need to earn money. It had less agricultural land and no seeds, hence they got jobs in the city. This established trade and a successful shipping industry.
How did the city state of Florence reflect the renaissance worldview?
- Political and economic systems
Florence was on the Arno River known for its silk and wool merchants. The wealthy bankers supported the pope in Rome and in return he gave them financial business or papacy. It was the richest city state (bought neighboring cities). It was a republic but became and oligarchy (Medici family). - Social systems
As merchants class became wealthier they started to move up the social ladder. People in the merchant class were called popolo grasso. Workers were known as popolo minuto. Nobles or upperclassmen owned most of the land and lived in estates. - Culture
Florence was the center of renaissance culture. The Medici family hired people to be beautify the city and develop it to increase tourism. Those with wealth had the responsibility to carry out positive civic works.
How did Venice contribute to the Italian Renaissance?
- Social System
Aristocracy was the upper class. They were families that controlled venice since tribal times. They could vote. The Cittadini Originarri (Original citizens) could hold public office but not vote. The common people had some rights and could apply for limited government positions. - Government
It started out as a republic with the head of state known as doge. Aristocats declared that only they could vote for the doge and then took power and made up the oligarchy. Cittadini Originari became wealthy and bought places in the aristocracy. The senate and the great council made decisions. The Doge headed the Senate and was elected for life. - Scuole
They were associations that met for prayer session. They collected money for good causes. The scuole grandi were large scuole that consisted for 500 or more people and many of them were wealthy.
How did Genoa help shape to Renaissance worldview?
Genoa came from its ancient name genua, a city supposedly founded by the two headed roman god Giano. Genoa has been at crossroads of traffic and culture between western Europe and the Mediterranean for centuries. During the crusades armies took fleets from Genoa to go to the holy land. Then later the Genovese navy gained control of Constantinople giving them economic success. Genoa was a republic but later the families struggling for control agreed to a truce each controlling a section of the city. Later Genoa lost Constantinople to the ottomans and this lead to the city’s downfall.
