preview

The Italian Renaissance

Decent Essays
Open Document

During the 14th century, Italy was divided into many self-governing city sates. Florence, an independent republic and third largest city in Europe at the time, was the motherland of the Italian Renaissance. This was an enlightening time of “rebirth” that began directly after the Middle Ages (History.com Staff). Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance due to its location, prosperity, and cultural amalgamation.
WHY IS ITS LOCATION SO SPECIAL - why not somewhere else?
Italy consisted of communes, or city-states, ruled by an individual or a solitary family, with a democratic government and an abundant amount of educated citizens. The governmental system was not a true democracy, however, since only wealthy men were allowed to vote. As time progressed though, the common people began to have more governmental power, due to emerging social and economic freedoms. There were three main social levels at that time: the upper class, being businessmen and merchants, the middle class, formed from educated townsfolk, and the lower class, comprised of artisans and craftsmen (Walker 7-8).
Because of its location, Florence was home to many wealthy citizens. Florence became the cultural capital of Europe due to aristocrats exhibiting their prominence by supporting artists and philosophers who studied ancient Greece and Rome (History.com Staff). Italians considered their rebirth to be both an emergence from the dearth of culture in the Dark Ages and a new beginning altogether, built

Get Access