Unit 1: The European Renaissance, 1375-1527

This unit will emphasize the key characteristics of the Renaissance which began in Italy and spread through out Europe. In particular we will examine the rekindled ideas from the Greeks and Romans as expressed by several Renaissance writers and artists. We will also examine the connections between the Renaissance and the modern era.

Unit Homework & Assessments:

  • Due 8/17: What are the top three things to remember concerning the Middle Ages? Tell why you selected each of your three.
  • Due 8/20: Read and underline/write margin notes in the excerpt from Mortimer J Adler and Charles Van Doren's How to Read a Book; "How to Be a Demanding Reader."  Handout given out in class.
  • Due 8/22: Syllabus and Classroom Supplies are Due.
  • Due 8/23: Complete the Map of Italy Assignment. See page 51 in your main textbook or internet search "Renaissance Italy Map 1500"
  • Due 8/27: Read and Annotate Will Durant, "The Renaissance"  See De Medici Reading Guide. The questions in the guide will help you identify what is needed in your annotations.  
  • Due 8/31:  GAoM "Break with the Middle Ages Reading" Hand Out. Read and be a demanding reader (underline / margin notes). Write at least 3 questions that will spark discussion about the material.  I will check your reading notes (underlining, margin notes, and 3 questions.) You will also need to turn in your seminar tri-fold at the end of class.
  • Due 9/6: Read and take notes Chapter 1.2 "The Renaissance in the North" p. 56-59.  1. How did the ideals of the Italian Renaissance spread to Northern Europe? 2. How was the Renaissance in Northern Europe similar or different from that in Italy.  
  • ​Due 9/10: Unit 1 European Renaissance Overview Sheet and The Renaissance Ideal Review Activity
  • On 9/10:  Renaissance Test (Review your Unit 1 European Renaissance Overview Sheet)  Your review guide is due at the beginning of the test.  
  • Due 9/12: Read Chapter 1.3 (p.61-65) in your main textbook. Write notes using the 2-column format. 
Class Calendar
Click Here for a Complete Unit 1 Calendar

Thursday, August 16:
Friday, August 17:
  • Main Idea: Identify and discuss the major events leading up to the beginning of the Renaissance era. How or why was the Middle Ages a Break with Society?
  • Discussion: The Top 3 things to remember about the Middle Ages?  Why was it called a Middle Ages? What factors or events contributed to the decline of the Middle Ages? (See Medieval Europe Notes for review purposes ... )
  • Assignment: Read and underline/write margin notes in the excerpt from Mortimer J Adler and Charles Van Doren's How to Read a Book; "How to Be a Demanding Reader."  Due Monday, 8/20

Monday, August 20:
  • Main Idea: Skills - How to become a demanding reader, How to ask great questions and hold engaging conversations, expectations of a Socratic seminar.
  • Warm up Review: Middle Ages. 
  • Hand Outs: Seminar Guidelines and Rubric Handout
  • T-P-S (Think-Pair-Share): What makes for a great seminar?
  • Demonstrate a traditional seminar using the assigned excerpt from Mortimer J Adler and Charles Van Doren's How to Read a Book; "How to Be a Demanding Reader." (Intro, Discussion, Reflection)
  • Ticket to Exit: How might being a "demanding reader" be linked to being an active participant in a seminar setting? How can annotating the book be like having a conversation with the author? (Demonstrate & practice the turning in work procedure)
  • Homework: Map of Italy. See page 51 in your textbook or internet search "Renaissance Italy Map, 1500." Due Wednesday, Aug 22

Tuesday, August 21:
  • Main Idea: Identify how and why the Renaissance began in Italy and examine the growth of the Italian city-state.
  • Hand outs: Unit 1 European Renaissance Overview Sheet (Due September 10) / Introduction to the Renaissance Reading Guide for Kagan
  • Class Work: You will independently read an assigned section in  Kagan's Western Heritage (In Class Textbook) p. 318-321. You will then work with a partner to take notes and to answer the study questions that go with your assigned reading.  You will then create a visual aide (large paper) to teach the rest of class what it is that you learned about your assigned topic.  Before we present on Wednesday, you will read over the other assigned sections to be familiar with them.  See Introduction to the Renaissance Reading Guide for Kagan
  • Homework: Map of Italy. See page 51 in your textbook or internet search "Renaissance Italy Map, 1500." Due Thursday, August 23rd

​Wednesday, August 22:  35 Min CCC Visit
  • Main Idea: Identify how and why the Renaissance began in Italy and discuss the growth of the Italian city-states. Introduce how the Renaissance was a break from the Middle Ages.
  • Class Syllabus is DUE!
  • Complete Map of Italy. See page 51 in your textbook or internet search "Renaissance Italy Map, 1500." Due Thursday, Aug 23

Thursday, August 23:
  • Main Idea: Places of the Italian Renaissance.  The rise of the Medici family...specifically Cosimo and Lorenzo.
  • Group Presentations and Historical Map Analysis: Groups will share with the rest of class their findings using the visual aides.  After the presentation, students will be able to examine each visual more closely and acquire their own notes.  See Introduction to the Renaissance Reading Guide for Kagan
  • Class time to work on Homework:  Parts 1-3 (67-77) Will Durant, "The Renaissance: The Rise of the Medici, 1378-1464" p. 67-77.  See De Medici Reading Guide. The questions in the guide will help you identify what is needed in your annotations.   Monday, August 27

Friday, August 24:
  • Main Idea: Durant's account of the rise of the Medici family in Florence. Note key character traits of Cosimo and Lorenzo. 
  • Class time to work on Homework:  Parts 1-3 (67-77) Will Durant, "The Renaissance: The Rise of the Medici, 1378-1464" p. 67-77.  See De Medici Reading Guide. The questions in the guide will help you identify what is needed in your annotations.   Monday, August 27

Monday, August 27:
  • Main Idea: Review the accomplishments of the Medici family. Note key character traits of Cosimo and Lorenzo. 
  • Think - Pair - Share - Circle Rotation: Small group discussions based on the assigned reading from Parts 1-3 (p67-77) Will Durant's "The Renaissance." Discussions will use the reading guide as a resource.  De Medici Reading Guide.
  • Large Group Socratic Questioning:  Will Durant's "The Renaissance." Discussions will use the reading as a resource to discuss the importance of the De Medici family in history. De Medici Reading Guide.
  • Assignment - Due 8/31:  GAoM "Break with the Middle Ages Reading" Hand Out. Read and be a demanding reader (underline / margin notes that indicate a conversation with the author). Write at least 3 questions that will spark discussion about the material

Tuesday, August 28:
  • Main Idea: Identify ways that the Renaissance was a break with the Middle Ages.
  • Warm up: How was Florence "The Athens" of Italy? 
  • Notes & Video: Lorenzo the Magnificent 
  • H.A.P.P.Y. Introduce how to take effective notes when reading selections from Dennis Sherman's Western Civilization.  Demonstrate and practice by using Francesco Petrarch, “A Letter to Boccaccio: Literary Humanism.” p. 160-161. (Sherman Ch 12)
  • Ticket to Exit: What are the three most important things that Petrarch would have us know and understand?Is his argument convincing? why or why not?
  • Assignment - Due 8/31:  GAoM "Break with the Middle Ages Reading" Hand Out. Read and be a demanding reader (underline / margin notes that indicate a conversation with the author). Write at least 3 questions that will spark discussion about the material

Wednesday, August 29:
  • Main Idea: Identify and discuss the characteristics of a liberal arts education in the Renaissance.
  • Read and Discuss: Peter Paul Vergerio, “On the Liberal Arts.” p. 161 (Sherman Ch 12) and Baldesar Castiglione from “The Book of the Courtier.” P. 163-164.  Follow the model for taking notes used in class for each of these readings.   How do these readings reflect the changing attitudes that came to characterize the Renaissance? Which of the advice do you see as most beneficial? How do they represent a break from the Middle Ages? To what extent are they still applicable to today's world? 
  • Assignment - Due 8/31  GAoM "Break with the Middle Ages Reading" Hand Out. Read and be a demanding reader (underline / margin notes that indicate a conversation with the author). Write at least 3 questions that will spark discussion about the material

Thursday, Aug 30:
  • Main Idea: Identify and discuss the characteristics of a liberal arts education in the Renaissance.
  • Read and Discuss: 
    •  Read and take notes about Machiavelli's background p. 54-55 "The Prince" from Ellis & Esler. WH: Modern Era.
    •  Selected quotes from Machiavelli's "The Prince."
    • Assignment - Due 8/31:  GAoM "Break with the Middle Ages Reading" Hand Out. Read and be a demanding reader (underline / margin notes that indicate a conversation with the author). Write at least 3 questions that will spark discussion about the material

Friday, Aug 31:
  • Main Idea: Identify ideals and characteristics of the Renaissance ruler as described by Machiavelli.
  • Warm up: Review elements of a Renaissance education and the concept of humanism.
  • Pre-seminar Warm Up: (1) Take a sheet of paper and make a tri-fold with sections of equal size. Label one section "Pre-seminar", the next "Seminar Notes", and lastly "Post-seminar Reflections."   (2) T-P-S. Using the handout Guide to Great Questions and Discussions Handout examine the questions you wrote as part of your homework. Work with the person in your three-some to refine and select your topic three questions pertaining to the assigned reading? How would you answer each using the text? (You might want to mark up the text)  Which element of "Discussions" will you try to employ in our seminar today? Write all of this in the section "Pre-seminar."
  • Seminar ( Intro and demonstrate Wingman Set Up) Discuss the reading GAoM "Break with the Middle Ages Reading"
  • Post-seminar Reflection: What went well today? How different was the Renaissance man from his medieval predecessors?  Turn in the tri-fold seminar sheet.
  • No Homework

Monday, Sept 3: Labor Day - No School

Tuesday, Sept 4:
  • Main Idea: Identify ideals and characteristics of the Renaissance ruler as described by Machiavelli.
  • Warm up: How are Renaissance ideas, including humanism, reflected in the works of Petrarch, Vergerio, Castiglione, and Machiavelli?
  • Notes: Definition of humanism. Introduce the Renaissance Artists and how they captured the spirit of the Renaissance in their works. See also: Ellis, WH: Modern Era, Chapter 1.1 "Renaissance Art Flowers" p. 50-53 

Wednesday, Sept 5:
  • Main Idea: Identify ideals and characteristics of the Renaissance.
  • Review: Humanism as expressed by Renaissance Artists. Identify the major works so the principle artists.
  • Jig Saw Activity: Examine Medieval Artwork and Renaissance Artwork for distinguishing characteristics for each set of art work. Each small group will be assigned one piece of artwork to examine from each grouping and then be able to share that back to the class. Art Analysis Activity Sheet 
  • Visual Source: Renaissance Set of Artwork
  • Visual Source: Medieval Set of Artwork
  • Assignment: Chapter 1.2 "The Renaissance in the North" p. 56-59.  1. How did the ideals of the Italian Renaissance spread to Northern Europe? 2. How was the Renaissance in Northern Europe similar or different from that in Italy.  Notes Due Thursday, September 6

Thursday, Sept 6:
  • Main Idea: How the Italian Renaissance came to a close while its ideas spread to northern Europe.
  • Warm up / Review: Why did the Renaissance begin in Italy? Why did it lead to a revolution in the arts?
  • Discuss Reading Chapter 1.2 and supplement with notes: The Treaty of Lodi, Decline of the Italian Renaissance. Key events and figures...Treaty of Lodi, Ludivico Il Moro, Pope Julius II, Pope Alexander VI, Borgia family, Niccolo Machiavelli, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain/HRE, Johann Gutenberg, Jan van Eyck (Use his painting as intro)  
  • Assignment: Due Monday, Sept 10: Unit 1 European Renaissance Overview Sheet and The Renaissance Ideal Review Activity

Friday, September 7
Monday, September 10
  • Renaissance Test (Review your Unit 1 European Renaissance Overview Sheet)  There will be a section of terms (10 points), Time & Place (Chronology and Geography = 10 pts), Short Answer Questions (30 points). Total of 30 points.

Tuesday, September 11:
  • Main Idea: Review Renaissance and introduce the Reformation
  • Review the Renaissance. Specifically the role of humanism in Renaissance society and how it was similar and different in Northern Europe.
  • Unit 2 Overview Sheet: The Protestant Reformation
  • Introductory Notes on The Reformation
  • Reading: Johann Tetzel from “The Spark for the Reformation: Indulgences,” 1517. p. 174 ( Sherman ) Take note of Tetzel's selling points. Which is most convincing? How are his selling tactics relevant in today's society?
  • DUE Wednesday, September 12: Read Chapter 1.3 (p.61-65) in your main textbook. Write notes using the 2-column format. ​
Unit Resources

KEY NOTES: 

HAND OUTS:

READINGS: What is the historical context? What is the author's background? (What gives the author authority?) When was it written? What is the author's intention? What is the message (see "check understanding questions")? Why is it significant?
  • Ellis and Esler. World History: The Modern Era. Chapter 1 (Pages 46-60.)
  • Kagan, Donald. The Western Heritage: Since 1300. – Chapter 9 (p. 290-315 review) and Chapter 10 (p. 316-340)
  • "The Break With The Middle Ages." (Hand Out)
  • Francesco Petrarch, “A Letter to Boccaccio: Literary Humanism.” p. 160-161. (Sherman Ch 12) What is the historical context? Who is the author? When was it written? What is the author's intention? What is his message? Why is it significant?  Key words: humanism, piety
  • Peter Paul Vergerio, “On the Liberal Arts.” p. 161 (Sherman Ch 12) Check your understanding: What are the duties of parents? Which is the most important duty? Do you agree or disagree? What is central to a liberal arts education? Why?  What is humanistic about this reading? Due 8/26
  • Baldesar Castiglione from “The Book of the Courtier.” P. 163-164. (Sherman Ch 12) Check your understanding: Why does the author feel that noble birth i important? Do you agree or disagree--why? What talents are most important for a courtier's success? How is the woman's path to success different from a man's at court? How does this article relate to the concept of humanism?  Key Terms: courtier, ostentation, vernacular, "Renaissance Man'
  • Niccolo Machiavelli from “The Prince,” 1513. p.162-163 (Sherman Ch 12) AND p. 55 "The Prince" in Ellis & Esler. WH: Modern Era. Check Understanding: Who is Machiavelli? When did he live? What was his intent for writing The Prince? What are the talents or skills necessary for the success of a prince/ruler? What is Machiavelli's view of human nature?  How does his work reflect the principles of humanism? Is his advice still practical for 21st century politics?  Key Terms: Medici rulers 
  • If Time Permits- “Michelangelo and Pope Julius II by Vasari” (Kagan, p. 331) Check understanding: Did Michelangelo hold his own with Pope Julius II? What does this interchange suggest about the relationship between patron and artist in the Renaissance? Were great artists like Michelangelo so revered that they could virtually as they pleased? Key Terms: Julius II, Sistine Chapel, al fresco, pontiff
  • Visual Sources: Raphael, “The School of Athens.” p. 164.  Check understanding: Who is pictured in the School of Athens? How does this image reflect a society and attitudes different from those of the Middle Ages?
  • Visual Sources: Jan van Eyck, “Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride.” P. 165 ( Sherman Ch 12)  Check understanding: How does this reflects a society and attitudes similar to those of the Middle Ages? How does it reflect the influences of the Italian Renaissance?
  • Visual Source: Renaissance Set of Artwork
 
LINKS:


KEY TERMS:
Renaissance, Florence, Rome, Venice, Ciompi Revolt, Cosimo de Medici, Lorenzo the Magnificent, Podesta, Condottieri, Despotism, Humanism, Petrarch, Vergerio, Vittorino da Feltre, Baldesar Castiglione, Patrons, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti,Raphael Sanzio, Treaty of Lodi, Ludivico Il Moro, Pope Julius II, Pope Alexander VI, Borgia family, Niccolo Machiavelli, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain/HRE, Johann Gutenberg, Jan van Eyck


ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
  1. What factors gave rise to a Renaissance in Italy? What was life like in the city-states of Italy?
  2. What is humanism? How is it defined and supported in the writings of the great Renaissance writers we read in class?
  3. How did the artists capture “the spirit of the Renaissance” in their works? How were they similar and different from artwork of the Middle Ages? Give examples.
  4. How did the ideals of the Italian Renaissance spread to Northern Europe? How was the Renaissance in Northern Europe similar or different from that in Italy?
  5. Some say that the Renaissance period laid the foundation for the modern world....do you agree?

PROJECT / SKILLS / DEBATE / DISCUSSION:
  • Debate: Was the Renaissance, with its unique advances, a period distinct from the Middle Ages or was it a continuation--the high point--of the Middle Ages?
  • The Renaissance Ideal" Review Activity:  Some scholars believe that the Renaissance is the start of the modern world. This project will help you explore that possibility. For this project you will have options. The first option of creating a children's song that contrasts life, ideals, and values of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Find a popular children's tune and write new lyrics to match it---you will need to have multiple verses to reach your 200-250 word count.  The next option is to find five different contemporary songs that connect in the ideals of the Renaissance to the present day. Topics can run through out the Renaissance time period. Please not that lyrics must be TCA appropriate---i.e. no promotion of drugs, alcohol, profane language, etc.  You will write a summary paragraph for each song to make the connection clear. The third option encompasses making a visual display of images that link the ideals of the Renaissance to the modern world.  Due Thursday, Sept 15th.
  • Skill: Guide to Great Questions Handout