The Renaissance: Was it a Thing? - Crash Course World History #22
TLDRThe video examines the concept of the European Renaissance, commonly seen as a rebirth of art and learning after the Dark Ages. It argues that the Renaissance was not experienced by most Europeans at the time, as its opulence and ideas only affected the wealthiest members of society. The video suggests that our modern notion of the Renaissance as culturally vital emerged retrospectively, as later generations assigned importance to artists like Michelangelo and the study of Greek and Roman writings. Overall, the script contends that the Renaissance was not a unified 'event' but rather many interrelated developments unfolding over centuries, challenging simplified ideas about European history.
Takeaways
- 😀 The Renaissance is usually seen as a rebirth of European culture after the Dark Ages, focused on humanism, secularism, rationality and individualism
- 😮💨 But the idea of a unified European Renaissance may be incorrect - most regular Europeans were unaware of it
- 🤔 The Renaissance was only experienced by the very rich and those who served them
- 👨🎨 Renaissance art focused on somewhat idealized human forms, copying Greek and Roman styles
- 📚 Humanist scholars studied ancient Greek and Roman writings, translating and commenting on them
- 💰 Italian city-states grew very rich from industry and trade, enabling the Renaissance
- 😎 Venice became extremely wealthy by trading with Islamic empires, especially the Ottomans
- 🤝 Contact with the Muslim world helped spread ancient Greek ideas and potentially influenced Copernicus
- ⏳ The Renaissance happened gradually over centuries, not as a unified event people were aware of
- 🤷♂️ The Renaissance may be more important to how we see history now than it was at the time
Q & A
What is the main argument made about the Renaissance in the video?
-The main argument is that the Renaissance did not necessarily happen as a clearly defined historical event or period, but rather developed gradually over centuries with no clear beginning or end.
How did trade with the Islamic world support the Renaissance?
-Trade with the Islamic world, especially for spices and textiles, made Italian city-states like Venice extremely wealthy, providing money to support Renaissance artists and scholars.
What was significant about the discovery of alum in Tolfa, Italy?
-The discovery of alum in Tolfa, Italy reduced reliance on imported alum from the Ottoman Empire which was used to dye textiles. It gave the Medici family a valuable mining monopoly.
How did the fall of Constantinople influence the Renaissance?
-After Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, Byzantine scholars fled to Italy bringing ancient Greek texts with them, helping to spread Greek ideas and writings.
What evidence suggests Copernicus was influenced by Islamic scholarship?
-One of Copernicus's diagrams showing a heliocentric model was very similar to a proof found in an Islamic mathematics treatise, suggesting he had access to it.
Why didn't most people in Europe experience the Renaissance?
-Most Europeans were poor peasants and tenants living on farms, unaffected by Renaissance art and learning which was mainly experienced by wealthy elites in cities.
Why do we construct the Renaissance as historically important?
-We see the Renaissance as giving rise to modern ideas about individualism, reason, and learning that mattered to later history, even if most people at the time did not experience it.
What's the problem with seeing the Renaissance as a clearly defined time period?
-The Renaissance developed very gradually over centuries with no clear beginning or endpoint, so it's inaccurate to define it as a short, well-defined time period.
What does the video argue is a more accurate way to view the Renaissance?
-As a series of interdependent developments in art, learning, and ideas that occurred over many centuries, not as one coherent historical period.
What is the phrase of the week mentioned at the end of the video?
-The phrase of the week mentioned is 'Angry Birds'.
Outlines
📺 History of the Renaissance and its controversies
The Renaissance is often seen as a rebirth of European culture after the Dark Ages and a move towards reason and individualism. But John argues the Renaissance didn't necessarily happen that way or affect most people. He says its ideas became important later, but at the time few experienced it.
💰 How money and trade with the Islamic world enabled the Italian Renaissance
Italy grew wealthy from trade and industry, funding the arts. Venice traded extensively with the Ottomans, exchanging textiles for alum to dye them. An Italian alum source was found, but didn't replace Ottoman alum. The fall of Constantinople also brought more Greek ideas.
⏳ Questioning the concept of the Renaissance across long time periods
Most people in Europe never experienced the Renaissance. Life expectancy even dropped. Its art and ideas affected the elite only. And it lasted centuries, nearly as long as the U.S. has existed. So was it really a cohesive, definable period?
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Renaissance
💡humanism
💡city states
💡Ottomans
💡trade
💡ancient writings
💡art
💡architecture
💡secularism
💡individualism
Highlights
The Renaissance saw the rebirth of European culture after the Dark Ages and ushered in modern era of secularism, rationality and individualism.
Renaissance art focused on the human form, similar to Greek and Roman art. Architecture featured Greek columns, pediments and Roman arches and domes.
Humanists studied literature, philosophy and history - known as the humanities. This opened up a new world as they examined ancient Greek and Roman writings.
Italy was primed for the Renaissance due to wealth from industry and trade, especially with the Ottoman Empire.
Venice became very rich from trade, affording painters, elaborate buildings and feeding scholars. Pepper trade with the Ottomans funded the Renaissance.
Contact with the Muslim world provided alum for textile dyes, ancient Greek writings for scholars and possibly influenced Copernicus.
The Renaissance happened gradually over centuries, not as a sudden event people were aware of. Most Europeans were unaffected by Renaissance art and ideas.
Renaissance learning and art only affected the richest few percent of Europeans at the time. For most people, daily life continued on farms and was governed by the Church.
We see the Renaissance as important now because it matters to us - it gave us individualism, the Mona Lisa, Renaissance architecture and ideals.
The cycle of enlightenment, darkness and re-enlightenment in Europe may not be fully historically accurate.
The Renaissance introduced ideas over centuries that later became very important, like individualism and humanism.
Donatello and Raphael, both Renaissance artists, were born almost 100 years apart - so it was not a defined historical period.
Wealthy, trading Italian city-states like Florence, Milan and Venice drove the Renaissance with money from industry and trade.
The fall of Constantinople in 1453 helped spread Greek ideas as scholars fled to Italy with ancient texts.
The Renaissance was many interdependent things occurring over centuries, not one cohesive event as we conceptualize it.
Transcripts
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