Villalobos  World History  Fall, 2008 

Study Guide: Renaissance Unit

I. Test Format: The mini-test format will be objective (multiple choice) and identifications. For the
identifications, begin with a brief identification and/or definition and include significance of item,
which contains an explanation of why the item is important.
II. Topics:
a. Renaissance: Definition? Characteristics?
b. Italian Renaissance: Why Italy, what were the conditions that allowed the renaissance to
develop in the Italian city-states? Social, economic, and political conditions?
c. Italian Renaissance Art: What distinguishes the “Italian” style?
d. Northern Renaissance: Why in the North, what were the conditions that allowed to
renaissance to develop in the North? Social, economic, and political conditions? Know the
geographic area.
e. Northern Renaissance Art: What distinguishes the “northern” style?
f. Humanism: What is it, purpose, goal and main characteristics? Who are the leading
Humanists? What are the differences between Italian and Northern Humanism?
g. Scientific Revolution: What conditions allowed the scientific revolution? Leading
scientists? Leading ideas? Leading theories?
h. Renaissance Papacy and the Church: What is the role of church during the renaissance?
Does the power of the church and pope’s increase or decrease during this time?
i. Renaissance States: How were the monarchies changing during this time?
III. Possible Identifications:
Humanism Francesco Petrarch
Lorenzo de ‘Medici & ‘Medici Family Leonardo da Vinci
Raphael Michelangelo
Patron Perspective
Niccolo Machiavelli & “The Prince” Baldassare Castiglione & “The Book of the
Courtier”
City-state & Italian City-states Greco-Roman influence
Humanities Erasmus
Thomas More Albrecht Durer
Hubert and Jan van Eyck Northern Humanists
Miguel de Cervantes Johann Gutenberg
William Shakespeare Vernacular
Nicolaus Copernicus Galileo Galilei
Francis Bacon Rene Descartes
Issac Newton Heliocentric
Scientific method Utopian
Pico della Mirandola Francois Rabelais