604–605 Bill Ross/CORBIS

The
Renaissance
and
Reformation The Duomo, or Cathedral
of Santa Maria del Fiore,
in Florence, Italy

1350 1450 1550 1650

c. 1350 1434 1517 1648
Renaissance Medici family Martin Luther Thirty Years’
begins in Italy begins rule of writes Ninety- War ends
Florence Five Theses
Chapter Preview Chapter Overview Visit
jat.glencoe.com for a preview
New ideas brought the Middle Ages to an end. Read this of Chapter 17.
chapter to find out how advances in the arts and learning
and dramatic changes to Christianity led to the beginning of
modern times in Europe.
View the Chapter 17 video in the World History:
Journey Across Time Video Program.

The Renaissance Begins

During the Renaissance, new values and new art developed in wealthy
Italian city-states.

New Ideas and Art

Wealthy leaders in Italian city-states supported talented artists and
writers, and Renaissance art and ideas spread from Italy to northern
Europe.

The Reformation Begins

Martin Luther and other reformers, such as John Calvin, broke from the
Catholic Church and began a new Christian movement that came to be
called Protestantism.

Catholics and Protestants

While the Catholic Church attempted to carry out reforms, Catholics and
Protestants fought bloody religious wars across Europe.

Compare-Contrast Make this foldable to help you compare and contrast what
you learn about the Renaissance and Reformation.

Step 1 Fold a sheet of paper in half from Reading and Writing

side to side. As you read the sections
on the Renaissance and
Fold it so the left
Step 2 Turn the paper edge lies about Reformation, record
and fold it into thirds. 1 important concepts and
2 inch from the
right edge. events under the
appropriate tabs. Then
Step 3 Unfold and cut the top record ideas similar to
layer only along both folds. Step 4 Label as shown. both under the middle
tab.
This will make
Renais- Refor-
three tabs. Both mation
sance

605
Analyze and
Clarify
Go Beyond the Words
Analyzing a passage means going beyond the definition of
the words. It is a way of reading for deep understanding, not
just memorizing or studying to pass a test. Read the following
paragraph from Section 2.

Renaissance painters also used new techniques. The

most important was perspective, a method that makes a
drawing or painting look three-dimensional. Artists had
tried to use perspective before, but Renaissance artists per-
fected it. Using perspective, objects in a scene appear to be
at different distances from the viewer. The result is a more
realistic image.
—from page 623

How can you analyze this passage? Here are

some suggestions:
1. Look at the drawing on page 626. Is the drawing
realistic as described by the paragraph?
2. Look at another painting or drawing in this book.
Compare the perspective to the drawing on page
eak 626. Which is more realistic? Why?
e n r e a ding, br r
Wh alle 3. With a partner, sketch a view of your classroom.
e x t into sm r-
th e t
h e l p you unde Exchange sketches and see if you can tell where
par ts to . your partner was standing when he or she made
t a n d t h e whole
s the sketch. Based on your experience, what are
some difficulties an artist might encounter in
trying to draw a large area realistically?

606
Musee du Louvre, Paris/Giraudon, Paris/SuperStock

Analyze as You Read Read to Write

Choose any painting or
Read this paragraph from Section 2. drawing in this book
and analyze, in writing,
what is taking place.
Use the questions who,
To make their paintings more what, when, or how to
realistic, Renaissance artists also help you get started.

used a technique called chiaroscuro.

Chiaroscuro softened edges by using
light and shadows instead of stiff
outlines to separate objects. In
Italian, chiaro means “clear or light,”
and oscuro means “dark.” Chiaro-
scuro created more drama and emo-
tion in a painting.
—from page 623

Analyze the above paragraph by doing the

following:
1. Look at the painting of Mona Lisa from
page 622. Do you see the use of
chiaroscuro? If so, in what way does it
create drama or emotion?
2. Choose another painting in this or a dif-
ferent text. Look at it carefully to see if
the technique of chiaroscuro was used.
Describe to a partner the light and dark The Mona Lisa
areas that you see.
3. Try your hand at drawing an
object or scene using the tech-
nique of chiaroscuro.

As you read this chapter, choose at

least one section to study and ana-
lyze for deeper meaning. Exchange
your analysis with a classmate who
has analyzed a different passage.
607
 The
Renaissance Begins
What’s the Connection? Locating Places
Previously, you learned about life Florence (FLAWR • uhns)
in medieval Europe. In this section, Venice (VEH • nuhs)
you will see how Europeans began to
look to the ideals of the ancient Meeting People
Greeks and Romans as they left the Marco Polo (MAHR • koh POH • loh)
Middle Ages behind. Medici (MEH • duh • chee)
Niccolò Machiavelli (NEE • koh • LOH
Focusing on the MA • kee • uh • VEH • lee)
• The wealthy urban society of the
Italian city-states brought a rebirth of Building Your Vocabulary
learning and art to Europe. (page 609) Renaissance (REH • nuh • SAHNS)
• Italy’s location helped its city-states secular (SEH • kyuh • luhr)
grow wealthy from trade and banking, diplomacy (duh • PLOH • muh • see)
but many of the cities fell under the
control of strong rulers. (page 611) Reading Strategy
• Unlike medieval nobles, the nobles of Summarizing Information Complete
the Italian city-states lived in cities a chart like the one below showing the
and were active in trade, banking, reasons Italian city-states grew wealthy.
and public life. (page 614)

Wealth Grows in City-States

1350 1450 1550

Genoa Venice
Florence c. 1350 1434 1513
Renaissance Medici family begins Machiavelli writes
Rome begins in Italy rule of Florence The Prince

608 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

The Italian Renaissance Greeks and Romans had studied. After the
horrible years of the Black Death, Europeans
The wealthy urban society of the began looking to the past when times
Italian city-states brought a rebirth of learning and seemed better. They wanted to learn how to
art to Europe. make their own society better.
Reading Focus Hollywood makes many of the During the Renaissance, Europeans also
world’s movies. Why is it the center of the movie indus- began to stress the importance of the indi-
try? Read to learn why the city-states of Italy became vidual. They began to believe that people
the center of art during the Renaissance. could make a difference and change the
world for the better.
Renaissance (REH • nuh • SAHNS) means People were still very religious during
“rebirth.” The years from about 1350 to the Renaissance, but they also began to cel-
1550 in European history are called the ebrate human achievements. People
Renaissance because there was a rebirth of became more secular (SEH • kyuh • luhr). This
interest in art and learning. means they were more interested in this
In some ways the Renaissance was a world than in religion and getting to
rebirth of interest in the same subjects the heaven.

Italy c. 1500 In
Motion

P S
L
A
KEY
Ferrara Milan
Po R.
Venice
Florence
Genoa Genoa Mantua 45°N

Lucca
Mantua Florence
Milan
Pisa A
Ad

Modena Siena 0 200 mi.

P

ri

Two Sicilies
E

ic
at

0 200 km
N

Papal States Corsica Se Chamberlin Trimetric projection

N

Siena Rome a
IN

Venice
E
S

Naples

N Sardinia 40°N

Tyrrhenian
W Sea
E
S Medi
te
rr
an
ea Many Italian city-states prospered
n Sicily
during the Renaissance.
S 1. In which territory was Rome
ea
located?
5°E 10°E 15°E
2. Why do you think the city-state25°E
of Venice spread out along the
coastline?
Find NGS online map resources @
www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

609
 Why did the Renaissance begin in Italy? Renaissance. Wealthy nobles and mer-

akg-images
First of all, Italy had been the center of the chants wanted artists to produce works that
Roman Empire. Ruins and art surrounded increased the fame of their cities.
the Italians and reminded them of their In most of Europe, the vast majority of
past. It was only natural that they became people lived in the country, including the
interested in Greek and Roman art and knights and nobles who owned estates. In
tried to make their own art as good. Italy’s city-states, the population was
Another reason the Renaissance began becoming more urban. That means more
in Italy was because by the 1300s, Italy’s people were living in the city, rather than in
cities had become very wealthy. They the country. So many people living together
could afford to pay painters, sculptors, in a city meant more customers for artists
architects, and other artists to produce and more money for art.
new works. The large number of people living in
A third reason was because the region cities also led to more discussion and shar-
was still divided into many small city-states. ing of ideas about art. Just as the city-states
Florence (FLAWR • uhns), Venice (VEH • nuhs), of ancient Greece had produced many great
Genoa, Milan, and Rome were some of the works of art and literature, so too did urban
most important cities of the Renaissance. society in Italy.
The Italian city-states competed with Explain Why did the
each other. This helped bring about the Renaissance start in Italy?

Florence Cathedral
The Florence
Florence, Italy, was one of the centers of the Renaissance. The Cathedral today
Florence Cathedral became a symbol of the city, as well as one
of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture. What were
other important Italian Renaissance cities?

The cathedral’s
dome measures
140 feet (42.7 m)
across. New
techniques
allowed the tall,
massive dome to
The large, round be built without
windows in the the supports used
base of the in earlier Gothic
dome, called the cathedrals.
drum, allow in
plenty of light.
The Rise of Italy’s City-States and the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires lay
to the east. North Africa was only a short trip
Italy’s location helped its city-states to the south.
grow wealthy from trade and banking, but many of From the Byzantines, Turks, and Arabs,
the cities fell under the control of strong rulers. the Italians bought Chinese silk and Indian
Reading Focus Do you have a bank account? What spices and sold them to people in Western
are banks for? Read to learn how banking helped to Europe for very high prices. At the same
make the Italian city-states wealthy and powerful. time, from the Spanish, French, Dutch, and
English, they bought goods such as wool,
During the Middle Ages, no ruler was wine, and glass that they could sell in the
able to unite Italy into a single kingdom. Middle East. The Italian cities also had
There were several reasons for this. First of many skilled artisans, who could take raw
all, the Roman Catholic Church did every- materials the merchants bought and make
thing it could to stop the rise of a powerful goods that could be sold for high prices.
kingdom in Italy. Church leaders were Geography was not the only reason for
afraid that if a strong ruler united Italy, that the success of the Italians. Several events
same ruler would be able to control the led to trade becoming even more important
pope and the Church. in the city-states. First, the Crusades brought
At the same time, the city-states that Italian merchants into contact with Arab
developed in Italy were about equal in merchants. Second, the rise of the Mongol
strength. They fought many wars and often Empire united almost all of Asia into one
captured territory from each other, but no vast trade network.
state was able to defeat all the others. The Mongols encouraged trade and pro-
Probably the most important reason the tected the Silk Road from China to the
city-states stayed independent was because Middle East. This made it cheaper and easier
they became very wealthy. With their great for caravans to carry goods from China and
wealth, they could build large fleets
and hire people to fight in their
armies. A person who fights in an
army for money is called a mercenary.
The city-states also loaned money to
the kings of Europe. The kings left the
city-states alone so they could borrow
more money in the future.

Italy’s City-States Grow Wealthy

The Italian city-states became
wealthy through trade. The geogra-
phy of the long Italian peninsula
meant that most of the city-states had
a coastline and ports where merchant
ships could dock. They were also per- This painting shows a wealthy Italian family during the
fectly located on the Mediterranean Renaissance. How did competition between the city-
Sea. Spain and France lay to the west, states lead to great works of art?

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 611

Palazzo Ducale, Mantua, Italy/M. Magliari/Bridgeman Art Library, London/SuperStock
India to Muslim and Byzantine cities. As The Wealth of Florence No city was
more and more silk and spices were shipped more famous in the Renaissance than
from Asia, the price of these goods fell. More Florence. It was the first to grow wealthy,
Europeans could afford the luxuries, and and it produced many famous artists. It
demand for the items greatly increased. In sat on the banks of the Arno River sur-
turn, business for Italian merchants contin- rounded by beautiful hills. It was walled
ued to grow. and had many tall towers for defense. Its
people were known for their love of elegant
Who Was Marco Polo? Europeans were clothing.
fascinated with Asia and its goods after At first, Florence’s wealth came from
reading a book written by Marco Polo trading cloth, especially wool. The city’s
(MAHR • koh POH • loh), a merchant from the merchants sailed to England to get sheep’s
city of Venice. In the 1270s, Marco Polo wool. Artisans in Florence then wove it into
went on an amazing journey with his father fine fabrics. Florentines also found another
and uncle to China. They set off to meet way to make money—banking.
Kublai Khan, the ruler of the Mongol With goods pouring into Italy from
Empire. around the world, merchants needed to
When the Polo family finally made it to know the value of coins from different
the khan’s court, the great emperor was countries. Florentine bankers became the
impressed with Marco Polo. He sent Marco experts. They used the florin, the gold coin
Polo on business all over China. Marco of Florence, to measure the value of other
Polo asked many questions and learned money. Bankers also began lending money
more about Asia than any other European. and charging interest. Florence’s richest
When he returned to Europe, he published
a book about his travels. His stories
helped increase interest in China and
made many people want to buy
China’s goods.

Lorenzo de’ Medici

This painting shows bankers in Florence

doing business at a counter topped with
brightly embroidered cloth. Why did
banking become so important in Florence?

612 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

Scala/Art Resource, NY
 The Ducal Palace today

This painting from Renaissance Italy shows the busy pier and the Ducal
Palace in Venice. What industry provided some of Venice’s wealth?

family, the Medici (MEH • duh • chee), were many of the streets in the older parts
bankers. They had branch banks as far of Venice are canals and waterways.
away as London. Gondolas—a type of long, narrow boat—
still carry people along these canals.
The Rise of Venice The wealthiest city- Some of Venice’s wealth came from
state of all was Venice, where Marco Polo building ships. Artisans worked on ships at
was born. Venice is at the northern end of a shipyard known as the Arsenal. Teams
the Adriatic Sea. The Venetians were great of workers cut the wood, shaped it into
sailors and shipbuilders. They built their hulls, caulked (or sealed) the wood, and
city on many small, swampy islands just off made sails and oars. Sometimes Venetians
the coast. Early Venetians learned how to needed ships quickly. When the Turks tried
drive long wooden poles into mud to sup- to take a Venetian colony in the
port their buildings. Mediterranean, the Arsenal built 100 ships
Instead of paving roads, the Venetians in only two months to prepare for battle.
cut canals through their swampy islands Describe How did Florence
and used boats to move about. Even today, and the Medici family become so wealthy?

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 613

(l)Scala/Art Resource, NY, (r)Kindra Clineff/Index Stock
The Urban Noble they looked down on trade and believed
themselves to be above the town merchants.
Unlike medieval nobles, the nobles of In the Italian city-states, old noble fami-
the Italian city-states lived in cities and were active lies moved to the cities. They mixed with
in trade, banking, and public life. wealthy merchants and decided that money
Reading Focus How does our society measure from trade was just as good as money from
wealth? Before the Renaissance, wealth was based on land.
the amount of land a person owned. Read to learn how Meanwhile, wealthy merchants copied
that changed during the Renaissance. the manners and lifestyle of noble families.
Soon, the sons and daughters of nobles and
The wealthy men of the Italian city- rich merchants were marrying each other.
states were a new type of leader—the urban Eventually, the old nobles and wealthy
noble. Before this time, European nobles got merchant families blended together to
their wealth from land, not trade. In fact, become the upper class of the city-states.

How Were Italian City-States Run? At

first, many of the city-states were republics.
A republic is a government controlled by its
citizens. Not everyone was a citizen, how-
The Prince ever, only the artisans and merchants who
In Machiavelli’s masterpiece, he explains his had membership in the city’s guilds.
theories about human nature. From your study of the ancient Romans,
“You should consider then, that there are two you might recall that when their cities faced
ways of fighting, one with laws and the other war or rebellion, they gave power to a dic-
with force. The first is tator. The Italian city-states did some-
properly a human thing similar. In many cases, the cities
method, the second
belongs to beasts.
were ruled by one powerful man who
But as the first ran the government.
method does not In Venice, the head of state was the
always suffice [meet duke, or doge (DOHJ). At first, the
your needs], you doge had great power over his council
sometimes have to of nobles. Later, he lost power to a
turn to the second.
small group of nobles.
Thus a prince must
know how to make In Florence, the powerful Medici
good use of both the family gained control of the govern-
beast and the man.” ment in 1434. The Medici ran Florence
—Niccolò Machiavelli, for many decades. Lorenzo de’ Medici
The Prince Niccolò ruled the city from 1469 to 1492.
Machiavelli
Known as “the Magnificent,” Lorenzo used
his wealth to support artists, architects, and
writers. Many of Italy’s Renaissance artists
Why must a good leader know more than owed their success to his support.
one way to fight? Politics in Italy was complicated. Within
each city, the rulers had to keep the poor from

614 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

Archiv/Photo Researchers
rebelling and prevent other wealthy people
from seizing power. They had to make deals
with merchants, bankers, landlords, church
leaders, and mercenaries. At the same time,
they had to deal with the leaders of the other
city-states.
To deal with the other states around
them, the Italians developed diplomacy
(duh • PLOH • muh • see). Diplomacy is the art This palace served as a government building
in Rome for hundreds of years. What form of
of negotiating, or making deals, with other government did many of the city-states have at
countries. Each city-state sent ambassadors first?
to live in the other city-states and act as rep-
resentatives for their city. Many of the ideas greedy and self-centered. Rulers should not
of modern diplomacy first began in Italy’s try to be good, he argued. Rather, they
city-states. should do whatever is necessary to keep
How could a ruler maintain power in power and protect their city, including killing
the Italian city-states? Niccolò Machiavelli and lying. Today when we say someone is
(NEE • koh • LOH MA • kee • uh • VEH • lee), a being Machiavellian, we mean they are being
diplomat in Florence, tried to answer this tricky and not thinking about being good.
question when he wrote The Prince in 1513. Compare How were
Machiavelli claimed that people were medieval and Renaissance nobles different?

Study CentralTM Need help with the

material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. Why is the era from 1350 to
1550 in Europe called the
4. Economics Link How did
Renaissance cities gain their
Review the Renaissance? wealth? Give several examples.
• A rebirth of learning called the
Renaissance began in wealthy 2. Why did the Renaissance begin 5. Summarize Describe the gov-
Italian city-states in the 1300s. in Italy? ernments of Italian city-states
during the Renaissance.
Critical Thinking
3. Organizing Information Draw 6. Analyze Who were the
• Italian city-states, including
a diagram like the one below. Medicis and why were they
Florence and Venice, grew
Add details about the character- important?
wealthy through trade,
manufacturing, and banking. istics of the Italian Renaissance. 7. Persuasive Writing Write
a letter to the editor of a
Renaissance newspaper telling
• In the Italian city-states, a noble’s whether you agree or disagree
Italian Renaissance
wealth was based on trade, rather with Machiavelli’s beliefs about
than the amount of land owned. rulers and power during the
Renaissance.

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 615

Araldo de Luca/CORBIS
 SuperStock
The Value of City-States
d
th at yo u m ust select a goo
“I tell you above
aly was go vernment, and
naissance, It yo u r n ew lf
n g th e R e tes. form for o f making himse
Duri n 20 city-sta u st th in k
m o re th a all no one m ty.”
divided into that the city-s
tate form h to live in liber o Savonarola,
eo p le th in k lead- head if you wis —Giro la m
Some p a g ood idea. The estruction”
v er n m en t w a s
-s ta te s s W ill Be Your Final D
of g o the city “T hi
hy nobles of
ers and wealt an d sciences. Th
is pro-
e a d v antages and d
isad-
th e ar ts m in e th
encouraged helangelo, Exa of gov-
a st er p ie ces by Mic g es o f th e city-state form
m u ld van ta you
duced
e o n a rd o , a n d others. Wo T h en d ec ide whether
Raphael, L s have ernmen t. enefi-
ir th o f a rt s and science - th is sy st em is primarily b
this re b endent ci ty thin k
Italy’s indep harmful.
h a p p e n e d if cial or primarily
t existed?
states had no ch as Girola
mo
Othe r p e o p le , su
-state Advantages: dent
w er e a g a in st th e ci ty
B ec a u se of their indepen
Savonarola, ll of • rritory on
er n m en t. After the fa g o v er n ments, each te
form of g o v
in Florence
, s able to
i fa m il y th e It a li a n peninsula wa
the Medic ut in favor of
a new culture.
ro la sp o k e o have its own
Savona led by
p e o f le a d er ship: • S o m e ci ty-states were ere
ty
ea lth y fa m il ies, but most w
w
leader. Almost
led by a single i-
l su p p o rt ed cultural and sc
al -
ment. The com
entific advance so
g city-states al
petition amon t
e developmen
encouraged th
nce.
of art and scie
rs helped pre-
• City-state rule and teach-
es
serve the valu
an cient Greeks
ings of the
They gave
and Romans.
sts, architects,
their own arti
writers oppor-
scholars, and
assical
A detail from the ceiling of the Sistine
tu n it ies to study cl
Chapel painted by Michelangelo rpret them
works and inte
ays.
in their own w
616 616
 Disadvantages:
were led by one
• Many city-states people were
on
man. The comm
Archivo Iconografico, S.A./CORBIS

d
until they revolte
often mistreated
eir leaders. This
and threw out th
ence’s Medici
happened to Flor
family in 1527. ker
-states were wea
• The divided city would have been,
y
than a united Ital
te n invaded by
so they were of
foreign groups.
did not always
• Smaller territories r
iers to defend thei
have enough sold r-
ey hired mercena
cities and land. Th ou ts id e
armies from
ies—generals and
them fight. Some-
their city—to help -
took over the city
times mercenaries
red them.
states that had hi ,
alians were poor
• Because many It -
ble class differ
there were noticea
tes. These differ-
en ces in the city-sta
Renaissance nobles bloody conflicts
ences often led to
al classes.
between the soci
often battled with
• Wealthy families tates.
s lik ed their city-state ea ch ot he r for co ntrol of the city-s
• Many citizen aged lers became even
lp it. This encour
and wanted to he • Some city-state ru eing banking and
se
patriotism. wealthier by over ,
er e ge nerous to the citi-
e. Th ese le ad er s lived in luxury
• Som e ru lers w tr ad po or .
ei r ci ty -s ta tes. For example, w hi le m an y citizens were very
zens of th
Montefeltro
Duke Federigo da ino,
pular ruler in Urb
(1422–1482), a po , and a
ilt scho ol s, ho spitals, churches
bu
n money. He was
library with his ow ers
ow n for ta lk in g to the common
kn
poor.
and helping the d
Checking for Understanding
lped brin g an en 1. Do you think that the art of the
• The city-states he ing merchants, Renaissance would have been cre-
mak
to feudalism by d ated if Italy had not been divided
ners, wealthy an
as well as landow s into individual city-states? Why or
ng th e re la tio ns hip between lord why not?
endi
s. 2. Do you think Italian artists had
and vassal
more artistic freedom under this
form of government? Why or
why not?
3. Would you have enjoyed living
during the Renaissance? Would
you have wanted to be a ruler,
noble, artist, or commoner? Why?

617
 New Ideas
and Art
What’s the Connection? Meeting People
In Section 1, you learned about Dante Alighieri (DAHN • tay
the growth of Italian city-states. In A • luh • GYEHR • ee)
this section, you will learn how the Johannes Gutenberg (yoh • HAHN •
wealth of the city-states led to an uhs GOO • tuhn • BUHRG)
age of artistic achievements. Leonardo da Vinci (LEE • uh • NAHR •
doh duh VIHN • chee)
Focusing on the Michelangelo Buonarroti (MY • kuh •
• Humanists studied the Greeks and LAN • juh • LOH BWAW • nahr • RAW •
Romans, and the development of the tee)
printing press helped spread their William Shakespeare (SHAYK • SPIHR)
ideas. (page 619)
• Renaissance artists used new Building Your Vocabulary
techniques to produce paintings that humanism (HYOO • muh • NIH •
showed people in an emotional and zuhm)
realistic way. (page 623) vernacular (vuhr • NA • kyuh • luhr)
• Renaissance ideas and art spread Reading Strategy
from Italy to northern Europe. Organizing Information Create a
(page 625) diagram to show features of
Renaissance art.
Locating Places Art
Flanders (FLAN • duhrz)

1400 1500 1600

c. 1455 1494 1512 1601
Johannes Gutenberg Leonardo Michelangelo finishes Shakespeare
uses printing press begins painting painting Sistine writes
to print the Bible The Last Supper Chapel’s ceiling Hamlet

618 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

(cr)Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY, (r)Art Resource, NY, (others)Mary Evans Picture Library
 Renaissance Humanism Roman works very well. In addition, when
(l)Maiman Rick/CORBIS Sygma, (r)Giraudon/Bridgeman Art Library

the Turks conquered Constantinople in

Humanists studied the Greeks and 1453, many Byzantine scholars left and
Romans, and the development of the printing press moved to Venice or Florence.
helped spread their ideas. One famous scholar of the ancient
Reading Focus Have you ever tried to draw a copy of a works was Petrarch (PEH • TRAHRK). Francesco
painting you like? Is it harder to copy what other people Petrarch was a poet and scholar who lived
have done or to come up with new ideas for your own pic- in the 1300s. He studied Roman writers
tures? Read to learn how Renaissance writers borrowed like Cicero and wrote biographies of
ideas from the past but tried to be original too. famous Romans.
Petrarch encouraged Europeans to
In the 1300s, a new way of understand- search for Latin manuscripts in monaster-
ing the world developed in medieval ies all over Europe. In time, his efforts paid
Europe. This new approach was called off and new libraries were built to keep the
humanism (HYOO • muh • NIH • zuhm). It was manuscripts. The largest was the Vatican
based on the values of the ancient Greeks Library in Rome.
and Romans. Humanists believed that the Italians studied more than ancient
individual and human society were impor- books. They studied the old buildings and
tant. Humanists did not turn away from reli- statues all around them. All over Rome, one
gious faith, but they wanted a balance could see workers cleaning the dirt and
between faith and reason. Their new ideas rubble from broken columns and statues.
encouraged men to be active in their cities Italian artists eagerly studied the propor-
and achieve great things. tions of the ancient works. If they knew
how long a statue’s arms were compared to
Ancient Works Become Popular In the
its height, they would be able to under-
1300s, Italians began to study early Roman
stand why it looked so perfect.
and Greek works. For most of the
Middle Ages, Western Europeans
knew little about ancient Greek and
Roman writings. When they went on
the Crusades, however, they opened
trade with the Middle East and began
to get information from the Arabs.
Arab scholars knew classic Greek and Francesco Petrarch has
been called the father
Ancient Greek manuscript of Italian Renaissance
on Archimedes humanism. How did
Petrarch contribute
to the preservation of
Roman knowledge?

619
 to write poems to the woman he loved, he
wrote in the vernacular (vuhr • NA • kyuh • luhr).
The vernacular is the everyday language
people speak in a region—Italian, French,
or German, for example. When authors
began writing in the vernacular, many more
people could read their work.
Movable Type c. 1450 In the early 1300s, Dante Alighieri
(DAHN • tay A • luh • GYEHR • ee), a poet of
Johannes Gutenberg, a German Florence, wrote one of the world’s greatest
goldsmith, built a printing press poems in the vernacular. It is called The
modeled after a winepress. Once the Divine Comedy. As a young man, Dante was
press was completed, Gutenberg spent active in politics, but when noble families
two years printing his first book. For began fighting over power, he had to leave
each page, he set metal letters in a Florence. That was when he wrote his long
frame, rolled ink over the frame, and poem—more than 14,000 lines. The Divine
pressed the frame against paper. Comedy tells the gripping tale of the main
Around 1455, he completed printing character’s journey from hell to heaven.
what is now known as the Gutenberg The horrible punishments for different sins
Bible, or the 42 Line Bible. This was were vividly described.
the first book printed using movable Another important writer who used the
metal type, sparking a revolution in vernacular was Chaucer. Chaucer wrote in
publishing and reading. English. In his famous book, The Canterbury
Gutenberg Bible Tales, he describes 29 pilgrims on
their journey to the city of
Canterbury. The Canterbury Tales
describes the levels of English society,
from the nobles at the top to the poor
at the bottom. The English Chaucer
used in his writing is the ancestor of
the English we speak today.

The Printing Press Spreads Ideas

The printing press was a key to the
spread of humanist ideas through-
out Europe. In the early 1450s,
Johannes Gutenberg (yoh • HAHN • uhs GOO •
tuhn • BUHRG) developed a printing press that
used movable metal type. This type of
Changes in Literature During the printing press made it possible to print
Renaissance, educated people wrote in many books much more quickly. With
“pure” Latin, the Latin used in ancient more books available, more people learned
Rome. Petrarch thought classical Latin was to read. Scholars could read one another’s
the best way to write, but when he wanted works and debate their ideas in letters.

620 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

The Pierpont Morgan Library/Art Resource, NY
Ideas grew and spread more quickly than animals, human anatomy and medicine, and
ever before in Europe. the stars and planets. Their study of mathe-
The Chinese had already invented mov- matics helped them in many subjects.
able type, but it did not work well with One of the best Renaissance scientists
their large alphabet of characters. For was also a great artist, Leonardo da Vinci
Europeans, the printing press was a big ( LEE • uh • NAHR • doh duh VIHN • chee) .
improvement. It was easy to use with linen Leonardo dissected corpses to learn
paper, another Chinese invention. anatomy and studied fossils to understand
Gutenberg’s Bible, printed in the 1450s, the world’s history. He was also an inventor
was the first European book produced on and an engineer.
the new press. Soon books flooded Europe. Most of what we know about Leonardo
About 40,000 books were published by comes from his notebooks. Leonardo filled
1500. Half of these were religious works their pages with sketches of his scientific
like the Bible or prayer books. and artistic ideas. Centuries before the
airplane was invented, Leonardo drew
How Did Humanism Affect Society? sketches of a glider, a helicopter, and a
Humanist scholars studied the Greeks and parachute. Other sketches show a version
Romans to increase their knowledge of of a military tank and a scuba diving suit.
many different topics. They were curious Explain What was the ben-
about everything, including plants and efit of writing in the vernacular?

Leonardo’s Inventions
Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks contained
sketches of inventions that would not be Compare Leonardo’s sketches of a
produced for hundreds of years. helicopter and subway to their modern
counterparts. How accurate was Leonardo?

A multibarreled
artillery piece

A helicopter-like
flying machine Cross section of a palace
with subways for carriages

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 621

(l)The Art Archive/Manoir du Clos Luce/Dagli Orti, (c)Baldwin H. Ward & Kathryn C. Ward/CORBIS, (r)Alinari Archives/CORBIS
 LEO–1N51A RDO DA VINCI
9
1452
a peasant woman
Leonardo was born in Vinci, Italy, to
do’s birth, she left the
named Caterina. Shortly after Leonar
time Leonardo was
boy in the care of his father. By the
had artistic talent.
15 years old, his father knew his son
e an apprentice to
He arranged for Leonardo to becom
chio.
the famous painter Andrea del Verroc
ster in the painters’
By 1472, Leonardo had become a ma
ce until 1481, and
guild of Florence. He worked in Floren
re he kept a large
then he went to the city of Milan. The
tices. During this time,
workshop and employed many appren
of paper tucked in his
Leonardo began keeping small pads
the drawings by theme
belt for sketching. Later he organized
oks.
and assembled the pages into notebo
d to Florence,
Seventeen years later, Leonardo returne
or. During this time, Leonardo da Vinci
where he was welcomed with great hon
pieces. He also made
Leonardo painted some of his master
s, observations of the
scientific studies, including dissection
flight of birds, and research on
“Nothing can be loved or
the movement of water hated unless it is first
currents. known.”
In 1516 Leonardo
—Leonardo da Vinci
accepted an invitation to live
in France. The king admired
Leonardo and gave him
ing the
freedom to pursue his interests. Dur
lived in a small house near
last three years of his life, Leonardo
most of his time sketching
the king’s summer palace. He spent
s.
and working on his scientific studie

ity and
Leonardo’s curiosity fueled his creativ
created in
interest in science. What invention
impress
The Mona Lisa by the last 100 years do you think would
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo the most? Why?

(t)Timothy McCarthy/Art Resource, NY, (b)Musee du Louvre, Paris/Giraudon, Paris/SuperStock

Artists in Renaissance Italy
Renaissance artists used new tech-
niques to produce paintings that showed people in
an emotional and realistic way.
Reading Focus Have you ever had trouble making
your drawings look real and three-dimensional? Read
to learn how Renaissance artists learned to make their
art look natural and real.

During the Renaissance, wealthy Italian

families and church leaders paid artists to The sculpture, La Pieta, by Michelangelo shows
Mary holding the body of Jesus after his death.
create paintings, sculptures, and buildings
What did Renaissance artists try to portray in
for display throughout their cities. The their works?
pope himself funded many works of art to
decorate the Vatican. Renaissance artists
Chiaroscuro softened edges by using light
followed the models of the ancient Romans
and shadows instead of stiff outlines to sep-
and Greeks but expressed humanist ideas.
arate objects. In Italian, chiaro means “clear
or light,” and oscuro means “dark.”
What Was New About Renaissance Art? Chiaroscuro created more drama and emo-
If you compare medieval and Renaissance tion in a painting.
paintings, you will see major differences in
their styles. Renaissance art tries to show The Peak of the Renaissance The artistic
people as they would appear in real life. It Renaissance lasted from about 1350 to 1550,
also tries to show people’s emotions. When but it hit its peak between 1490 and 1520. At
a medieval artist depicted the birth of Jesus, that time, great artists were producing mas-
he wanted to remind Christians about their terpieces. Three of the most famous artists
belief that Jesus was born to save the world. were Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael Sanzio,
A Renaissance artist painting the same and Michelangelo Buonarroti (MY • kuh • LAN
scene might try to show how tender Mary • juh • LOH BWAW • nahr • RAW • tee).
looked with her tiny baby. Although Leonardo also became a great
Renaissance painters also used new tech- scientist and inventor, he trained as an
niques. The most important was perspective artist. Born in 1452, he began his training in
(puhr • SPEHK • tihv), a method that makes a Florence at a young age. Training in work-
drawing or painting look three-dimen- shops was an old tradition, but during the
sional. Artists had tried to use perspective Renaissance, individual artists began to do
before, but Renaissance artists perfected it. something no medieval artist had done—
Using perspective, objects in a scene appear they signed their own work.
to be at different distances from the viewer. One of Leonardo’s most famous works
The result is a more realistic image. is The Last Supper, which he began painting
To make their paintings more realistic, in 1494 on a wall behind a church altar. He
Renaissance artists also used a technique painted on wet plaster with watercolor
called chiaroscuro (kee • AHR • uh • SKYUR • oh). paint. A painting done this way is called a

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 623

 fresco (FREHS • koh), which in Italian means
“fresh.” Frescoes were painted in churches
all over Italy.
One of Leonardo’s great artistic skills is
visible in The Last Supper. In this painting of
The Life of a Renaissance Artist If a Jesus and his disciples, Leonardo was able to
young boy in Renaissance Italy wanted show human emotions through small differ-
to be an artist, he would become an ences in how each apostle held his head or
apprentice at a workshop run by an the apostle’s position in relation to Jesus.
established artist. The main job of Leonardo showed this skill again in the Mona
apprentices was preparing materials for Lisa. People still argue about what the
the master artist and his assistants. woman in the portrait is thinking—what is
Apprentices used minerals, spices, egg the mystery behind her smile?
yolk, and other everyday materials to Although Raphael worked at the same
mix paints. They readied wax and clay time as Leonardo, he was much younger.
for sculpture modeling. Eventually, Even as a young man, Raphael worked
with ease and grace and became known as
apprentices became assistants. Talented
one of Italy’s best painters. Italians espe-
assistants could become masters of
cially loved the gentle Madonnas he
their own workshops.
painted. He also painted many frescoes in
Master artists could afford to have the Vatican Palace. Perhaps his best-known
workshops because of the patronage painting is the School of Athens, which
system in Italy. Patrons—people who depicts a number of Greek philosophers.
pay to support someone else’s work— Another great Renaissance artist was
would commission, or hire, an artist to Michelangelo. Like many other artists of the
complete a project. That artist was time, Michelangelo painted, sculpted, and
usually helped by his assistants and designed buildings. He painted one of
apprentices. the best-known Renaissance works—the
Patrons were ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
usually political Although he painted many outstand-
and church ing works, Michelangelo was a sculptor
leaders, at heart. He believed his talents were
inspired by God. He carved his statues to
organizations,
show perfect versions of human beings
and wealthy
as a symbol of God’s beauty and perfec-
bankers and
tion. Michelangelo’s best-known sculp-
merchants. Renaissance ture is the 13-foot-tall statue David. The
painter and sculptor made David seem calm, yet ready
apprentice
for action. Also impressive is Michelangelo’s
statue of the biblical Moses. The huge figure
Connecting to the Past appears both wise and powerful.
1. What was the main job of apprentices?
2. Does the patronage system or the Compare and Contrast
apprentice system exist today? If so, What were some of the differences between
in what fields? medieval and Renaissance artists?
The Renaissance Spreads a region that is in northern Belgium
today—oils let artists paint intricate details
Renaissance ideas and art spread from and surface textures, like the gold braid on
Italy to northern Europe. a gown.
Reading Focus If you were a Canadian artist, would Jan van Eyck was a master of oil paint-
your painting look different than if you lived in ing. In one of his best-known paintings, a
Arizona? Read to learn how the Renaissance changed as newly married couple stands side by side in
it moved into northern Europe. a formal bedroom. Van Eyck showed every
fold in their rich gowns and every detail of
In the late 1400s, the Renaissance spread the chandelier above their heads.
to northern Europe and later to England. Albrecht Dürer (AHL • brehkt DUR • uhr) is
The printing press helped humanist ideas perhaps one of the greatest artists of the
to spread, as did people who traveled. Northern Renaissance. Dürer was able to
master both perspective and fine detail. He
What Is the Northern Renaissance? The is best known for his engravings. An engrav-
Northern Renaissance refers to the culture ing is made from an image carved on metal,
in places we know today as Belgium, wood, or stone. Ink is applied to the surface,
Luxembourg, Germany, and the Netherlands. and then the image is printed on paper.
Like Italian artists, northern artists wanted Dürer’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
their works to have greater realism, but they is an outstanding example of a woodcut, a
used different methods. One important print made from carved wood. In it, four
method they developed was oil painting. fierce horsemen ride to announce the end of
First developed in Flanders (FLAN • duhrz)— the world.

Globe Theater
William Shakespeare’s plays were performed at the Globe
Theater in London. It could hold about 3,000 people. Plays were Flags announced the type of play.
performed every day of the week except Sunday. White flags meant comedies, black
Performances occurred during the day, since the flags meant tragedies, and red flags
theater had no lights. When did the Renaissance stood for history plays.
spread to northern Europe
and England?

Wealthy and
important
people sat
beneath the Poor commoners,
covered section. called groundlings,
stood on the
ground for the
show. They often
brought fruit and
vegetables to
throw at actors
they did not like.

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 625

Who Was William Shakespeare? In
England, the Renaissance took place in
writing and theater more than in art. The
Renaissance began in England in the later
1500s, during the rule of Elizabeth I.
Theater was popular in England in the
1500s. Admission was only one or two cents,
so even the poor could attend. English play-
wrights, or writers who create plays, wrote
about people’s strengths, weaknesses, and
emotions.
The greatest English writer of that era
was William Shakespeare (SHAYK • SPIHR).
He wrote tragedies, comedies, and historical Dürer’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
plays. Some of his great tragedies include
Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. In Henry V and Richard III. Shakespeare’s plays
each tragedy, the characters’ flaws cause are still performed today and remain very
their downfall. Among his most famous popular.
comedies are A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Compare How did the
Twelfth Night, and Much Ado About Nothing. northern Renaissance differ from the Italian
His best-known historical plays include Renaissance?

Study CentralTM Need help with the

material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. Explain the beliefs of human-
ists during the Renaissance.
4. Evaluate What was the
importance of the printing
Review the
2. Explain the artistic technique press on Renaissance society?
• During the Renaissance, scholars
examined the ancient works of of perspective. 5. Science Link Describe the
the Greeks and Romans, began to scientific efforts and contribu-
Critical Thinking
write in the vernacular, and tions of Leonardo da Vinci.
3. Summarizing Information
explored many scientific fields. Draw a chart like the one 6. Explain How were the ideals
• Italian Renaissance artists below. Use it to describe the of the Renaissance expressed in
employed new techniques and artistic work and techniques of England? Provide examples in
created masterpieces of painting each artist listed. your answer.
and sculpture. 7. Expository Writing Choose
Leonardo da Vinci a painting or sculpture shown
• As the Renaissance spread to
northern Europe and England, Michelangelo in this section. In a short essay,
artists and writers, such as Dürer describe the work and explain
Jan van Eyck how it demonstrates
and Shakespeare, created great
works. Shakespeare Renaissance techniques or
characteristics.

626 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

Snark/Art Resource, NY
 By William Shakespeare,
Adapted by E. Nesbit

Before You Read

The Scene: This story takes place in Athens, Greece, in a legendary time
when magical creatures lived among humans.
The Characters: Hermia and Lysander are in love. Demetrius loves Hermia,
and Helena loves Demetrius. Oberon and Titania are the King and Queen of
the Fairies.
The Plot: Hermia and Lysander run away to be married. Demetrius follows
them because he loves Hermia. Helena follows Demetrius because she loves
him. The fairies they encounter try to use magic to help the four humans.

Vocabulary Preview
betrayed: gave to an enemy suitor: one who wants
mortal: human to marry another
quarrel: argument bade: asked
glade: grassy open space in a forest scheme: plan

Have you ever tried to help someone

but made the situation worse? In
this story, fairies attempt to help
four young people traveling
through the woods, but
their efforts do not go
as planned.
 As You Read
Keep in mind that William Shakespeare wrote this story as a play. E. Nesbit

º
rewrote the story in paragraph form to make it shorter and easier to read.

Hermia and Lysander were [in love]; but Helena had been Demetrius’
Hermia’s father wished her to marry sweetheart long before his marriage with
another man, named Demetrius. Hermia had been thought of, and being
Now in Athens, where they lived, there very silly, like all jealous people, she could
was a wicked law, by which any girl who not see that it was not poor Hermia’s fault
refused to marry according to her father’s that Demetrius wished to marry her
wishes, might be put to death. . . . instead of his own lady, Helena. She knew
Lysander of course was nearly mad that if she told Demetrius that Hermia
with grief, and the best thing to do was going, as she was, to the wood outside
seemed to him for Hermia to run away Athens, he would follow her, “and I can
to his aunt’s house at a place beyond the follow him, and at least I shall see him,”
reach of that cruel law; and there he she said to herself. So she went to him,
would come to her and marry her. But and betrayed her friend’s secret.
before she started, she told her friend, Now this wood where Lysander was to
Helena, what she was going to do. meet Hermia, and where the other two had
decided to follow them, was full of fairies,1
as most woods are, if one only had the
eyes to see them, and in this wood on this
night were the King and Queen of the
fairies, Oberon and Titania. Now fairies are
very wise people, but now and then they
can be quite as foolish as mortal folk.
Oberon and Titania, who might have been
as happy as the days were long, had thrown
away all their joy in a foolish quarrel. . . .
So, instead of keeping one happy
Court and dancing all night through in the
moonlight, as is fairies’ use, the King with
his attendants wandered through one part
of the wood, while the Queen with hers
kept state in another. And the cause of all

1
fairies: imaginary beings, usually having small
human form and magic powers

628
this trouble was a little Indian boy And she and her train rode off down
3
whom Titania had taken to be one of the moonbeams.
her followers. Oberon wanted the child to “Well, go your ways,” said Oberon.
follow him and be one of his fairy knights; “But I’ll be even with you before you
but the Queen would not give him up. leave this wood.”
On this night, in a glossy moonlight Then Oberon called his favorite fairy,
glade, the King and Queen of the Puck. Puck was the spirit of mischief. . . .
fairies met. “Now,” said Oberon to this little
2 4
“Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania,” sprite, “fetch me the flower called Love-
said the King. in-idleness. The juice of that little purple
“What! jealous, Oberon?” answered flower laid on the eyes of those who sleep
the Queen. “You spoil everything with will make them when they wake to love
your quarreling. Come, fairies, let us leave the first thing they see. I will put some of
him. I am not friends with him now.” the juice of that flower on my Titania’s
“It rests with you to make up the eyes, and when she wakes, she will love
quarrel,” said the King. “Give me that little the first thing she sees, were it lion, bear,
Indian boy, and I will again be your or wolf, or bull, or meddling monkey, or a
humble servant and suitor.” busy ape.”
“Set your mind at rest,” said the
2
ill: causing suffering or distress
Queen. “Your whole fairy kingdom buys 3
moonbeams: rays of light from the moon
4
not that boy from me. Come fairies.” sprite: fairy
 While Puck was gone, Demetrius Demetrius; and directly he saw her he
passed through the glade followed by loved her and left his own lady, under the
poor Helena, and still she told him how spell of the crimson flower.
she loved him and reminded him of all When Hermia woke she found
his promises, and still he told her that he Lysander gone, and wandered about the
did not and could not love her, and that wood trying to find him. Puck went back
his promises were nothing. Oberon was and told Oberon what he had done, and
sorry for poor Helena, and when Puck Oberon soon found that he had made a
returned with the flower, he bade him mistake, and set about looking for
follow Demetrius and put some of the Demetrius, and having found him, put
juice on his eyes, so that he might love some of the juice on his eyes. And the first
Helena when he woke and looked on her, thing Demetrius saw when he woke was
as much as she loved him. So Puck set also Helena. So now Demetrius and
off, and wandering through the wood Lysander were both following her through
found, not Demetrius, but Lysander, on the wood, and it was Hermia’s turn to
whose eyes he put the juice; but when follow her lover as Helena had done before.
Lysander woke, he saw not his own The end of it was that Helena and Hermia
Hermia, but Helena, who was walking began to quarrel, and Demetrius and
through the wood looking for the cruel Lysander went off to fight. Oberon was
 enameled5 skin of a snake. Oberon
stooped over her and laid the juice on her
eyes. . . .
Now, it happened that when Titania
woke the first thing she saw was a stupid
clown, one of a party of players who had
come out into the wood to rehearse their
play. This clown had met with Puck,
6
who had clapped [a donkey’s] head on
his shoulders so that it looked as if it
grew there. Directly Titania woke and
saw this dreadful monster, she said,
“What angel is this? Are you as wise as
you are beautiful?”
“If I am wise enough to find my way
out of this wood, that’s enough for me,”
said the foolish clown.
very sorry to see his kind scheme to help “Do not desire to go out of the wood,”
these lovers turn out so badly. So he said to said Titania. The spell of the love-juice was
Puck: on her, and to her the clown seemed the
“These two young men are going to most beautiful and delightful creature on all
fight. You must overhang the night with the earth. “I love you,” she went on. “Come
drooping fog, and lead them so astray, that with me, and I will give you fairies to attend
one will never find the other. When they on you.”
are tired out, they will fall asleep. Then So she called four fairies, whose
drop this other herb on Lysander’s eyes. names were Peaseblossom, Cobweb,
That will give him his old sight and his old Moth, and Mustardseed.
love. Then each man will have the lady “You must attend this gentleman,”
who loves him, and they will all think that said the Queen. “Feed him with apricots,
this has been only a Midsummer Night’s and dewberries, purple grapes, green figs,
Dream. Then when this is done all will be and mulberries. Steal honey-bags for him
well with them.” from the humble-bees, and with the wings
So Puck went and did as he was told, of painted butterflies fan the moonbeams
and when the two had fallen asleep from his sleeping eyes.” . . .
without meeting each other, Puck poured “Would you like anything to eat?” said
the juice on Lysander’s eyes. . . . the fairy Queen.
Meanwhile Oberon found Titania
asleep on a bank. . . .There Titania always 5
enameled: coated with a glassy substance
6
slept a part of the night, wrapped in the clapped: forcefully put

631
 “I should like some good dry oats,”
said the clown—for his donkey’s head
made him desire donkey’s food—“and
some hay to follow.”
“Shall some of my fairies fetch you
new nuts from the squirrel’s house?”
asked the Queen.
“I’d rather have a handful or two of
good dried peas,” said the clown. “But
please don’t let any of your people disturb
me, I am going to sleep.”
Then said the Queen, “And I will wind
thee in my arms.”
And so when Oberon came along he sleep with his own silly head lying on the
found his beautiful Queen lavishing kisses thyme and violets.
and endearments on a clown with a Thus all was made plain and straight
donkey’s head. And before he released her again. Oberon and Titania loved each other
from the enchantment, he persuaded her to more than ever. Demetrius thought of no
give him the little Indian boy he so much one but Helena, and Helena had never had
desired to have. Then he took pity on her, any thought of anyone but Demetrius. As
and threw some juice of the disenchanting for Hermia and Lysander, they were as
flower on her pretty eyes; and then in a loving a couple as you could meet in a
moment she saw plainly the donkey- day’s march, even through a fairy-wood. So
headed clown she had been loving, and the four [mortals] went back to Athens and
knew how foolish she had been. were married; and the fairy King and
Oberon took off the [donkey’s] head Queen live happily together in that very

º
from the clown, and left him to finish his wood at this very day.

Responding to the Reading

1. How did Demetrius and Lysander fall in love with Helena?
2. How did the story get its title, A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
3. Cause and Effect Why were Lysander and Demetrius preparing to
fight?
4. Predict What do you think might have happened if Oberon had not
interfered with the conflict among the four young people?
5. Read to Write Reread the last paragraph in the story, then
write another ending to the story that could replace that paragraph.

632
 The Reformation
Begins
What’s the Connection? Meeting People
During the Middle Ages, all of Martin Luther
Western Europe’s Christians were Desiderius Erasmus (DEHS • ih • DIHR •
Catholic. The movement called the ee • uhs ih • RAZ • muhs)
Reformation, however, questioned John Calvin
Catholic beliefs and power.
Building Your Vocabulary
Reformation
Focusing on the (REH • fuhr • MAY • shuhn)
• The reforms of Martin Luther led to
indulgence (ihn • DUHL • juhns)
the creation of new Christian
churches. (page 634) denomination
(dih • NAH • muh • NAY • shuhn)
• Political leaders often supported theology (thee • AH • luh • jee)
Protestantism because they wanted
predestination
more power. (page 639) s
(pree • DEHS • tuh • NAY • shuhn)
• John Calvin’s Protestant teachings
spread across Europe and into North Reading Strategy
America. (page 640) Cause and Effect Create a diagram to
show some of the reasons for the
Reformation.
Locating Places
Wittenberg (WIH • tuhn • BUHRG) Reasons for
the Reformation
Geneva (juh • NEE • vuh)

1500 1530 1560

1517 1519 1555
London Martin Luther Charles V becomes Peace of
Wittenberg
Paris writes Ninety- Holy Roman Emperor Augsburg
Geneva Five Theses signed

Rome

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 633

Calls for Church Reform Christianity known as Protestantism. By the
end of the Reformation, many new Christian
The reforms of Martin Luther led to the churches had appeared in Europe. The reli-
creation of new Christian churches. gious unity the Catholic Church had created
Reading Focus Can you think of any reformers in the in Western Europe, and which had lasted for
United States? Read to learn how some Europeans set hundreds of years, had been broken.
out to reform the Catholic Church and ended up start-
ing a new church instead.
What Ideas Led to the Reformation? In
the last section, you read about humanism.
When humanism spread to northern
In 1517 a young monk named Martin
Europe, it led to a new movement in
Luther challenged the Roman Catholic
Christianity called Christian humanism. Its
Church. He publicly argued that the pope
best-known leader was a scholar and cler-
could not decide what a person had to do to
gyman named Desiderius Erasmus (DEHS • ih •
get into heaven. Eventually, his challenge to
DIHR • ee • uhs ih • RAZ • muhs).
the pope’s authority led to the creation of
Erasmus wrote that human beings
new churches in Western Europe.
could use their reason to become better
At first, Luther only wanted to reform
Christians and thereby improve the
the Catholic Church. This is why we call
Church. He studied ancient Christian
these events the Reformation (REH • fuhr •
works for inspiration.
MAY • shuhn). The Reformation, however,
One of Erasmus’s goals was to translate
became the beginning of a movement in
the Bible into the vernacular. He wanted a
farmer working in the fields to be able to
stop and read the Bible. Erasmus also wrote
that what mattered was that people be good
in their everyday lives. It was not enough to
participate in religious activities, like going
to church on Sunday.
The Church Upsets Reformers By the
1300s, many people believed that the Church
had problems. It taxed people heavily, and
some bishops behaved like they were kings.
They built palaces, spent money on fine art,
and made sure that their relatives had good
jobs. In many villages, priests could barely
read or give a good sermon.
Many Catholics became angry at the
Church’s focus on money. One Church
practice that especially angered them was
the selling of indulgences. An indulgence
(ihn • DUHL • juhns) reduced the Church’s
Desiderius Erasmus, the most famous Christian
humanist, criticized the wealth and power of punishment for a sin. The Church had
Catholic leaders. What change did Erasmus given out indulgences before, but it did not
want to make to the Bible? usually sell them. In the 1500s, however, the

634 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

pope needed money to repair
the church of St. Peter’s in
Rome. To get that money, he
decided to sell indulgences in
northern Germany.
The sale of indulgences out-
raged Martin Luther. He was
also angry at Church leaders
who allowed people to think an
indulgence was a pardon for
sin. The idea of selling God’s for-
giveness seemed unholy to him.
Martin Luther was not the
first person to question the
pope’s power. As early as the
1370s, an English priest named
John Wycliffe (WIH • KLIHF) had
opposed Church policies. He
preached that Christians needed
only to recognize Jesus as a This painting shows indulgences
power above them, not the pope. being sold in a village marketplace.
Why was the Church selling
Wycliffe and Luther both
indulgences?
challenged the pope’s power, but
they had something else in com- Indulgence box
mon—their respect for the Bible.
Wycliffe wanted everyone to read the Bible, First of all, Luther was angered by the
so he translated many passages from Latin behavior of Church leaders. Secondly, he
into English for his followers to use. After was worried about his own soul.
Wycliffe died, his followers finished translat- When Luther went to Rome on a pil-
ing the Bible, creating the first English edition. grimage, he was shocked at the behavior of
Englishman William Tyndale also the Roman clergy. Back home in Germany,
believed people needed an English transla- he taught at a university in the town of
tion of the Bible. Unlike Wycliffe, however, Wittenberg (WIH • tuhn • BUHRG). He worried
Tyndale used the ancient Hebrew and about the Church’s problems. With the
Greek texts for his translation. Tyndale also plague killing people all around him, it is
wrote several works in defense of the not surprising that Luther also worried
Reformation. Because of this, he was exe- about whether he would go to heaven
cuted in 1536 for heresy. when he died.
The Church said that Luther would go
Who Was Martin Luther? Martin Luther to heaven if he had faith in
became one of the most famous men in his- God, performed good works, and received
tory. His break with the Catholic Church led the sacraments. Still Luther worried that
to a revolution in Christianity. Why would this was not true. He prayed and fasted
a religious man disagree with his faith? long hours as he searched for answers to his

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 635

 Cathedral for everyone to read. The list
became known as the Ninety-Five Theses.
Thousands of copies were printed and read
all across the German kingdoms.
Revolt Leads to New Churches At first the
Church did not take Luther very seriously.
Soon, though, Church leaders saw that
Luther was dangerous. If people believed
Luther, they would rely on the Bible, not
priests. Who would need priests if the sacra-
ments were not needed to get to heaven?
The pope and Luther argued for several
years, but Luther refused to change his
position. Finally, the pope excommunicated
Luther. This meant Luther was no longer a
member of the Church and could no longer
receive the sacraments. He was also no
Martin Luther began the Reformation when
longer considered a monk.
he made public his Ninety-Five Theses. How
did the Catholic Church react to Luther’s In the following years, Luther’s ideas
actions? led to the creation of a new denomination
(dih • NAH • muh • NAY • shuhn), or organized
questions. He prayed so long that some- branch of Christianity. It was known as
times he fell unconscious on the cold Lutheranism and was the first Protestant
church floor. denomination.
Luther found his answers by studying Lutheranism has three main ideas. The
the Bible. He concluded that only faith, not first is that faith in Jesus, not good works,
good works, brought salvation. He believed brings salvation. The second is that the
that salvation was a gift from God, not Bible is the final source for truth about
something earned by doing good works. God, not a church or its ministers. Finally,
In 1517, when the Church began selling Lutheranism said that the church was
indulgences, Luther was astonished. How made up of all its believers, not just the
could the Church tell peasants that buying clergy.
an indulgence would save them? He
angrily prepared a list of 95 arguments Peasant Revolts Luther’s debate with the
against indulgences and sent them to his pope was so famous that even peasants in
bishop. Some accounts say that Luther also the countryside had heard about it. They
nailed them to the door of Wittenberg liked what they heard about Luther.
The life of a peasant had always been
hard, but in the 1520s, it was terrible. The
crops had been poor for several years. On
Web Activity Visit jat.glencoe.com and click top of that, noble landowners increased the
on Chapter 17—Student Web Activity to learn taxes that peasants had to pay.
more about the Reformation.
Because of their suffering, Luther’s
ideas stirred the peasants to revolt. If

636 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

akg-images
Luther had a right to rebel against an unjust nobles had better weapons and horses and
pope, then the peasants must have a right to won easily, killing thousands of peasants.
stand up to greedy nobles. Luther sympathized with the peasants,
The peasants began by listing their but he hated the violence. In his sermons,
demands. Like Luther, they based their Luther criticized nobles for their treatment
ideas on the Bible. One leader said the of the peasants, but he was afraid of what
peasants would no longer work for the might happen without a strong govern-
nobles, “unless it should be shown us from ment. He stressed to the peasants that God
the Gospel that we are serfs.” had set the government above them and
When the nobles did not give in, huge they must obey it.
revolts broke out. It was not long, however, Cause and Effect What
before the peasants were defeated. The was the result of the Church’s decision to sell
indulgences in 1517?

The Anabaptists, Amish, and Mennonites

The Amish today
One Protestant group that formed during
the Reformation was called the Brethren. Others
called them Anabaptists, which means “to
baptize again.” They believed that adults
should be baptized. The Mennonites and
the Amish, many of whom came to the
United States, developed from the
Anabaptists.

Today most Amish and

Mennonite groups are located in
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and a few other
states. They emphasize the value of
community. Old Order Amish reject
modern technology, such as electricity, cars,
and television. What, if anything, might prompt
A Mennonite couple in the 1600s you to give up a modern lifestyle?

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 637

MA–1R54T6IN LUTHER
1483
with the Catholic
Long before Martin Luther struggled
was born in Eisleben,
Church, he faced difficult issues. Luther
ers. Both his parents
Germany, in 1483 to a family of min
and his father had
beat Luther as a child. Martin Luther
father’s beatings
terrible tempers. Luther later said his Martin Luther
efu l tow ard his fam ily.
caused him to feel bitter and hat
To avoid his abusive home life, Luther
went to “He who gives to a poor
man, or lends to a needy
er’s urging, he
schools away from home. At his fath
earned a bachelor
considered studying law but instead
of arts degree in philosophy in 1502. man, does better than if
Later, Luther entered a monastery to
separate himself
eled to Erfurt and
he bought pardons.”
from his abusive past. In 1505 he trav —Martin Luther,
to Wit tenberg in 1508 and
bec am e a mo nk. He the n wen t
mit s. The re he “The Ninety-five Theses (1517)”
stayed with a group of Aug ust inia n her
continued his study of theology. n
a det erm ine d you ng ma n. Alth oug h he was a priest, he began to questio
Luther was rch. In
es of the Cathol ic Chu rch . His refo rms resulted in a break with the Chu
the practic children and lived
5 he marrie d a form er nun nam ed Katharine von Bora. They had six
152
in a former monastery. her and his
hich cost him many friendships—Lut
Although known for his hot temper—w s whose
wife cared for as many as 20 orphan
r years,
parents died from the plague. In his late
and
Luther enjoyed gardening and music,
. He died in
continued his lifelong love of writing
1546, probably of a heart attack.

for his
Martin Luther was willing to stand up
people.
beliefs, even if that meant offending
s who has
Can you think of anyone in the new
shown that same willingness?
Wittenberg today
Politics and Lutheranism Holy Roman Empire 1520
Political leaders often supported
Protestantism because they wanted more power. KEY 0°

Holy Roman Empire

Reading Focus Under the United States Constitution,
the government cannot favor any one religion. Read to 0 300 mi.

learn what happened in Europe during the Reformation 20°W 0 300 km

NORWAY
Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection
when kings decided what faith people had to follow. N
SCOTLAND TEUTONIC
W North ORDER
In the past, there had been thinkers who E
IRELAND
Sea DENMARK
S
challenged Catholic beliefs, but the Church ENGLAND

had always remained in control. What

ds
P OL AN D

an
rl
had changed in the 1500s that allowed t he
ATLANTIC Ne Bohemia
Protestantism to take hold? One reason OCEAN
Protestantism succeeded is that some of Swiss
FRANCE Confed.
Austria
V HUNGARY
Europe’s kings realized they could increase Milan E
N OT
IC T
their power by supporting Lutheranism Savoy
Papal
E EMPOMA
Genoa IRE N
AL
against the Catholic Church. 40°N
TUG Florence
States

You read earlier about the Holy Roman SPAIN NAPLES

POR

Empire, which covered much of central Mediterranean Sea 20°E

Europe. The heart of the empire was made

up of about 300 small German kingdoms. In
1519 Charles V became the Holy Roman In 1520 the Holy Roman Emperor ruled
Emperor. His empire included the lands of over a large part of Europe.
the Holy Roman Empire, as well as all of 1. What were some of the areas that made
up the Holy Roman Empire?
Spain, the Netherlands, parts of Italy, and 2. Why might it have been difficult for one
territories in the Americas. ruler to control the Holy Roman Empire?
The local rulers and nobles of the Holy
Roman Empire were concerned about
Charles V’s power. They did not want a Rulers could impose their own church taxes
strong central ruler. They wanted to keep and keep the money for themselves. This
ruling their own little kingdoms. made rulers who became Protestants
Many German rulers decided to stronger and the Church weaker.
become Lutherans for religious and politi- Charles V eventually went to war with
cal reasons. By doing so, their kingdom the German rulers who converted to
also became Lutheran. After breaking with Lutheranism, but he was unable to defeat
the Catholic Church, these rulers seized them. In 1555 the fighting ended with the
lands owned by Catholic monasteries in Peace of Augsburg. This agreement let each
their kingdoms. Now they, and not the German ruler decide whether his kingdom
Church, would earn income from those would be Lutheran or Catholic. As a result
lands. most of northern Germany became
At the same time, when the Catholic Protestant, while the south stayed Catholic.
Church left a kingdom, it meant that church Explain Why did many
taxes no longer flowed out of the kingdom. German princes support Martin Luther’s ideas?

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 639

Calvin and Calvinism went off to Paris to study theology (thee •
AH • luh • jee). Theology is the study of ques-
John Calvin’s Protestant teachings tions about God.
spread across Europe and into North America. Calvin was very interested in religion.
Reading Focus Are there some things you are sure He got up early to read books on theology.
are true? Read to learn how some Protestants devel- During the day, he debated ideas with other
oped a faith where everyone agreed that some people students and then went home to read late
were going to heaven and others were not. into the night.
Although Calvin lived in France, he
Who Was John Calvin? John Calvin was began to hear about the ideas of Martin
born in France in the early 1500s. Everyone Luther. Secretly, Calvin began to read about
in his hometown expected that such a duti- Luther at his college. He and the other stu-
ful and intelligent boy would become a dents were careful to whisper when they
priest. When he reached the right age, he discussed Luther’s ideas. The more Calvin
read, the more he was convinced by
Luther’s new ideas.
Eventually, Calvin had to leave Paris
because it became too dangerous to talk
Knowledge about Lutheranism. Sometimes he hid out
of God at friends’ houses. Once he dared to return
John Calvin’s writings helped Europeans to his hometown, but he was arrested and
accept Protestantism. spent months in a damp jail. Calvin
“What help is it . . . to know finally found safety in Geneva
a God with whom we have (juh • NEE • vuh), Switzerland, a
nothing to do? Rather, our Protestant city. There his powerful
knowledge should serve first preaching convinced many people
to teach us fear and rever- to follow him.
ence [respect]; secondly,
with it as our guide and What Is Calvinism? Calvin agreed
teacher, we should learn to
with Luther that faith was more
seek every good from him,
and having received it, to important than good works, but he
credit it to his account. . . . added other ideas too. Calvinism
Again, you cannot behold became the basis of many Protestant
him clearly unless you churches, including the churches of
acknowledge him to be the Puritans and Presbyterians in
fountainhead [source of life] John Calvin
England and Scotland.
and source of every good.”
Calvin’s main idea was that God’s will
—John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
is absolute and decides everything in the
world in advance. God has decided who
will go to heaven and who will not. This
According to Calvin, what is needed for belief is called predestination (pree • DEHS •
believers to understand God clearly? tuh • NAY • shuhn), meaning that no matter
what people do, the outcome of their life is
already planned.

640 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY
 Some people could say that if their
life’s outcome were already determined,
then why would it matter if they were
good or bad? However, most people
decided that they were probably among
the saved. To prove it, they worked hard,
behaved well, and obeyed the laws of their
towns. In this way, Calvinism became a
powerful tool in society. It encouraged
people to work hard at their business and
to behave themselves.
Another important idea of Calvinism is In this picture, John Calvin is shown speaking
that neither kings nor bishops should con- before leaders in Geneva. Which Protestant
trol the Church. Calvinists believed that churches were based on Calvinism?
congregations should choose their own eld-
ers and ministers to run the church for
leaders helped build support for the idea
them.
that people should also be allowed to elect
This idea had a strong impact on
their own political leaders.
England and on many of the English
settlers in America. The idea that a congre- Compare How did Calvin’s
gation should be allowed to choose its own ideas differ from those of Luther?

Study CentralTM Need help with the

material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. What were indulgences,
and why did they become
5. Cause and Effect Who was
Erasmus, and how were his
Review the controversial? ideas about Christianity
• Many Christians, including Martin 2. What were John Calvin’s basic affected by humanism?
Luther, believed the Catholic
beliefs about God’s will? 6. Analyze How did Germany’s
Church was becoming corrupt.
peasants react to Luther’s
This led people to leave the Critical Thinking teachings, and what was
Church and create new Christian
3. Organizing Information Luther’s response?
churches.
Draw a diagram to list the three 7. Creative Writing Write a
• Many European rulers and nobles main ideas of Lutheranism. script for a play about an imag-
supported Luther’s reforms inary meeting between Martin
for political as well as religious Lutheranism
Luther and John Calvin. Think
reasons. about what the two men may
• John Calvin’s Protestant teach- have discussed concerning
ings inspired his followers to 4. Explain What were the their beliefs and how they
work hard and live good lives. Ninety-Five Theses? differed.

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 641

 Catholics and
Protestants
What’s the Connection? Meeting People
In the last section, you learned Ignatius of Loyola (ihg • NAY • shuhs
about the rise of Protestantism. In uhv loy • OH • luh)
this section, you will read about the Henry of Navarre
Catholic Church’s attempts at reform Henry VIII
and the struggle between Europe’s Mary I
Protestants and Catholics. Elizabeth I

Focusing on the Building Your Vocabulary

• Catholics and Protestants fought seminary (SEH • muh • NEHR • ee)
religious wars across Europe. (page 643)
heresy (HEHR • uh • see)
• Henry VIII created the Anglican annul (uh • NUHL)
Church in England. (page 648)
• As part of the Counter-Reformation, Reading Strategy
Catholic kingdoms began sending Cause and Effect Create a diagram
missionaries overseas to convert to show the results of the Catholic
people to Christianity. (page 650) Church’s attempts at reform.

Locating Places Reform

Trent
Navarre (nuh •VAHR) Results Results
Paris
London

1550 1600 1650

1545 1593 1648
London Pope Paul III Henry of Navarre The Thirty
Paris opens the becomes Catholic to win Years’ War
Trent Council of Trent French throne ends

Rome

642 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

Counter-Reformation needed to reform itself. Pope Paul III
understood this need. After becoming
Catholics and Protestants fought reli- pope, Paul called a church council at Trent,
gious wars across Europe. near Rome. The council held meetings for
Reading Focus Have you visited Protestant and Catholic 20 years, from the 1540s to the 1560s.
churches? Could you see any differences? Read to learn the During those meetings, the Council of
reasons for those differences. Trent worked to make Catholic beliefs
clear. It also set up strict rules for how bish-
In the 1500s and 1600s, the Catholic ops and priests should behave. The
Church set out to defeat Protestantism and Catholic clergy were told to work even
convince people to return to the Church. harder at instructing people in the faith. To
This effort came to be called the Counter- train new priests, seminaries were set up. A
Reformation. As you learned earlier, the seminary (SEH • muh • NEHR • ee) is a special
Reformation triggered a series of bloody school for training and educating priests.
wars in Europe between Catholic and In 1540 Pope Paul III took another
Protestant rulers. When the last wars important step. He recognized a new order
ended in 1648, most of Germanic Europe of priests, the Society of Jesus, known as
became Protestant. Most of Latin Europe, the Jesuits. Jesuits were the pope’s agents
or areas influenced by Roman culture, in Europe. They taught, preached, and
remained Catholic. fought heresy (HEHR • uh • see), a religious
The Catholic Church waged a war belief that contradicts what the Church
against Protestantism, but it knew it says is true.

The Council of Trent is believed to be the basis for the Catholic

Counter-Reformation. What did the Council of Trent accomplish?

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 643

 Only about seven percent of the French
Ignatius and people became Protestants, but almost half
of France’s nobles did, including the
Christianity Bourbon family. The Bourbons were the
Ignatius of Loyola became devoted second most powerful family in
to the Christian religion while
France. They ruled a kingdom in
recovering from an injury.
southern France called Navarre (nuh •
“In everything else he was healthy
except that he could not stand VAHR) and were also in line for the
easily on his leg and had to stay throne of France.
in bed. As he was much given to Many French nobles wanted to
reading . . . when he felt better he weaken the king. The Huguenot
asked to be given some of them nobles especially wanted the king
[books] to pass the time. But in weak so they could practice their reli-
that house none of those that he
gion freely. At the same time,
usually read could be found, so
they gave him a Life of Christ and France’s king, Henry II, wanted to
a book of the lives of the saints build a strong central government.
in Spanish. As he read them over Henry II died in 1559, and his son
many times, he became rather Francis II died the following year.
fond of what he found written Ignatius This meant that Francis’s brother
there.” of Loyola
Charles, a 10-year-old boy, was now
—The Autobiography of St. Ignatius Loyola, king. Since Charles was too young to
Joseph F. O’Callaghan, trans.
rule, his mother ran the government for him.
His mother was Catherine de’ Medici—the
daughter of Lorenzo de’ Medici, the power-
Why do you think Ignatius read the
religious books even though they were ful Italian leader of Florence.
not the type of book he usually read? Catherine was determined to keep the
French kingdom strong for her son. She
believed the Huguenots were a threat to the
king’s power and refused to compromise
The man who founded the Jesuits was a with them. In 1562 a civil war that would
Spaniard, Ignatius of Loyola (ihg • NAY • last more than 30 years began in France
shuhs uhv loy • OH • luh). He was a daring between Protestants and Catholics.
soldier, but his life changed when he was In 1589 Henry of Navarre, the leader of
wounded in battle. While recuperating, he Huguenot forces and head of the Bourbon
read about Christian saints who performed family, became King Henry IV of France.
brave deeds to defend their faith. Ignatius For the next few years, the war continued
decided he would be a soldier for Jesus because Catholic nobles would not accept a
Christ. Protestant as king. Henry won most of his
battles but was unable to capture Paris.
The Religious Wars in France John Calvin Henry IV then made a famous deal. He
was originally from France, and many knew most French people were Catholic
French people became interested in his ideas. and that they demanded a Catholic king.
As Calvinism spread in France, French Henry agreed to become a Catholic so the
Protestants became known as Huguenots. French people would accept him as king.

644 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

Mary Evans Picture Library
 In 1593 Henry went to Paris and put on What Was the Thirty Years’ War? The
white satin for the Catholic ceremony. As worst religious war of the Reformation era
he passed through the church doors, he was fought in the Holy Roman Empire in the
smiled and, according to tradition, said 1600s. The war began in Bohemia—today
that Paris was “worth a mass.” He meant known as the Czech Republic. Protestant
it was worth becoming a Catholic to rule nobles in Bohemia rebelled against their
all of France. Catholic king. Other Protestant kings in
Henry IV did not forget his Huguenot fol- Germany decided to help the rebels, and the
lowers, however. He issued an edict, or order, war expanded throughout the empire.
while visiting the city of Nantes in 1598. The The war lasted 30 years, from 1618 to
Edict of Nantes said Catholicism was 1648, and quickly became a war of kingdoms.
France’s official religion, but it also gave France, Sweden, Denmark, England, and
Huguenots the right to worship freely. the Netherlands sent troops to help the

Religions in Europe c. 1600 Motion

In

60°N
0° 10°E
0 300 mi.
S W E D E N
0 300 km NORWAY
Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection

N
SCOTLAND
W
E
a

North
Se

S
IRELAND Sea RUSSIA
DENMARK t
ic

l
Ba KEY
50°
ENGLAND Dominant religion
NETHERLANDS GERMAN
N
Anglican
STATES Calvinist
Canterbury Wittenberg
SPANISH Eastern Orthodox
POLAND Christian
NETHERLANDS BOHEMIA Lutheran
ATLANTIC Worms
Paris Muslim
OCEAN Augsburg BAVARIA Roman Catholic
AUSTRIA Mixture of Calvinist,
FRANCE Zurich Lutheran, and
Roman Catholic
Geneva SWITZERLAND HUNGARY
Trent Minority religion
Calvinist
Black Sea
Lutheran
ITALY
AL

Muslim
TUG

40°N Roman Catholic

SPAIN Rome
O TT
OMA
POR

10°W N EM
PIRE
Medit
er
ra
ne
a By the late 1500s, many northern Europeans
n
S ehad become Protestants, while most southern
a
20°E
Europeans had remained Catholics. 30°E
1. Which areas of Europe became dominantly
Calvinist?
2. Where in Europe do you think religious
conflict might have taken place?
 When Ferdinand and Isabella
began to rule, many Muslims still
lived in Spain. As you read in earlier
chapters, Muslims ruled Spain from
about A.D. 700 to 1200. During those
years, people of different religions
lived together in relative harmony.
The Muslims made non-
Muslims pay special taxes and lim-
ited their rights, but they did not
This photo shows the
seek to kill or expel nonbelievers.
Alhambra, a Muslim palace
and fortress in Granada, Jews, for example, found life in
Spain. What happened to Muslim Spain better than other
Spanish Muslims after places in Europe. As you read in
Ferdinand and Isabella earlier chapters, Jews were perse-
took power?
cuted throughout Europe during
Maimonides the Middle Ages.
Muslim Spain during the Middle Ages
was a golden age for Jewish thinkers and
poets. The most famous Jewish scholar was
Protestants, while Spain and the Holy
Maimonides (my • MAH • nuh • DEEZ). He was
Roman Empire backed the Catholics.
born in Spain and his books on religion and
Town fought against town, and roving
medicine earned him great respect.
troops murdered peasants on the roads.
This golden age ended when Catholics
When it was over, only wolves were found
took control of Spain. Jews and Muslims
wandering where some towns used to be.
were no longer welcome. In 1492 Ferdinand
The war weakened Spain and helped make
and Isabella ordered all Jews and Muslims
France one of Europe’s most powerful
to convert to Catholicism or leave the coun-
countries.
try. To ensure religious unity, they also set
The Reformation in Spain The ideas of up the Spanish Inquisition to investigate
Luther and Calvin never became very popu- people’s beliefs.
lar in Spain. Still, when Protestants began The Spanish Inquisition was a Catholic
fighting in Europe, it affected Spain. Spanish court, similar to the one the Catholic Church
rulers became suspicious of Protestant coun- had set up in Europe to investigate heresy.
tries and of anyone in Spain who was not The Spanish Inquisition was much crueler,
Catholic. however. Charges of heresy were made just
When the Reformation began in the to eliminate enemies. Horrible tortures were
1500s, Spain was a young nation. It had been invented to force confessions of guilt. The
founded in 1469 when King Ferdinand and head of the Spanish Inquisition, Tomás de
Queen Isabella married and joined their two Torquemada (TAWR • kuh • MAH • duh), executed
kingdoms. These monarchs wanted a strong some 2,000 Spaniards. Even the pope in
nation. They felt that all their subjects should Rome could not stop him.
be Catholic, because that would keep Spain’s Identify What deal earned
citizens loyal and united. Henry of Navarre the French throne?

646 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

(t)Nik Wheeler/CORBIS, (b)CORBIS
CAT–1H58E9 RINE DE’ MEDICI
1519
woman who played an
Catherine de’ Medici was an Italian
was born in Florence to
important role in French history. She
la Tour d’ Auvergne. Catherine
Lorenzo de’ Medici and Madeleine de
ed by relatives. At age 14,
was orphaned as a baby and was rais
nch prince. Catherine took
Catherine was married to Henry, a Fre
dancers with her to the French
Italian artists, musicians, writers, and
in France, however, because she Catherine de’ Medici
court. She was never fully accepted
family.
was Italian and was not from a royal “God and the world
King Henry II. After he died in
In 1547 Catherine’s husband became
a jousting accident in 1559, their thre
e oldest sons—Francis II, Charles will have reason
er as king. Although Catherine
IX, and Henry III—succeeded each oth to be satisfied
ch influence over her sons.
was no longer queen, she still had mu
Catherine is blamed for many of the
conflicts between French with me.”
ed Huguenots. In 1568 she —Catherine de’ Medici,
Catholics and French Protestants, call nge d the
157 2 Cat her ine arra
outlawed freedom of worship. In Saint
Biography of a Family
iser. His dea th spa rked the
murder of a Huguenot adv
lted in the deaths of about
Bartholomew’s Massacre, which resu nged
ots. Catherine was not alw ays opp osed to Huguenots. In fact, she arra
6,000 Huguen
of her dau ght er Ma rga ret to Hen ry of Navarre, a former Protestant
the marria ge
IV of France.
Huguenot who became King Henry y for the
s are mixed. Some blame her entirel
Views on Catherine’s accomplishment Still others
ber her efforts to protect her sons.
French religious wars. Others remem n because she
remember her as a Renaissance woma
al library, and sponsored
supported the arts, added to the roy
considered to be the
a dance and theater pageant that is
pneumonia.
first ballet. Catherine died in 1589 of

Catherine de’ Medici meets

with foreign ambassadors

for
If Catherine de’ Medici were running
would
political office today, do you think she
y not?
be a popular candidate? Why or wh

647
(t)Victoria & Albert Museum, London/Art Resource, NY, (b)The Art Archive/Chateau de Blois/Dagli Orti
The English Reformation Henry and his father were members of
the Tudor family. In the 1400s, before the
Henry VIII created the Anglican Church Tudors came to the throne, England’s
in England. nobles had been at war with each other.
Reading Focus You have probably heard about the Henry was determined to keep the peace
Pilgrims. Do you know why the Pilgrims left England to and to keep the Tudors on the throne. To do
come here? Read to learn how the Reformation came to this he needed a son to succeed him, but
England and why some Protestants decided to leave Henry had no son. His wife Catherine had
England and go to America. given birth to one surviving daughter.
Henry asked the pope to annul (uh • NUHL),
Because England is an island, ideas from or cancel, his marriage to Catherine.
Europe sometimes took longer to get there. An annulment is not the same as a
Surprisingly, though, England broke away divorce. If the pope annulled the marriage,
from the Catholic Church earlier than the it would be as if the marriage had never
rest of Europe. That change was based on a happened. It would mean that Henry could
political decision by the English king. Later, find a new wife to give birth to sons. Those
however, the English people strongly sons would be heirs to the throne, not the
debated Reformation ideas. daughter Catherine had given him.
Popes had annulled marriages before,
Henry VIII Starts His Own Church In the but this time the pope refused. Catherine
history of England, no king is more famous was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella
than Henry VIII. He ruled England from of Spain. Her nephew was the Holy Roman
1509 to 1547. He was stubborn, impatient, Emperor. Spain was the strongest Catholic
and cruel. Henry married six queens, of kingdom at that time, and the pope did not
which two he divorced and two he had want to make Catherine’s family angry.
beheaded. He imprisoned bishops and Henry had the archbishop of
nobles in the Tower of London (LUHN • duhn) Canterbury—the highest bishop in
for disagreeing with him. They also were England—annul the marriage. In response,
eventually beheaded. the pope excommunicated Henry from
the Church. Henry fought back. In 1534 he
In his attempt to divorce
had Parliament pass the Act of Supremacy.
his wife and marry another
woman, Henry VIII broke This act declared the king, not the pope,
away from the Catholic head of the Church of England.
Church and created the Henry ordered all the priests and bishops
Church of England. in England to accept him as the new head of
Why did the pope refuse
their church. Some refused and were killed.
to annul Henry VIII’s
marriage? The most famous was Sir Thomas More, who
was executed in 1535. Henry then seized the
Catholic Church’s land in England and gave
some of it to his nobles. This kept the nobles
loyal to the king and to the Church of
England. If they ever let the Catholic Church
regain power in England, they would have to
give up their land.

648 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

 How Did Calvinism Affect England?
Although the Catholics were defeated, the
religious battles were not over. A new fight
began to make the Anglican Church more
Protestant in its beliefs and rituals.
By the late 1500s, the ideas of John
Calvin had reached England. Many edu-
cated people read Calvin’s works and
became convinced that he was right. They
began to demand that the Anglican Church
give up its Catholic ways of doing things.
These reformers became known as Puritans
Mary I (above)
attempted to restore
because they wanted to purify the Anglican
the Catholic religion Church of Catholic ideas.
in England, and she Puritans began to form their own con-
married Philip II gregations. These congregations were inde-
(right), the Catholic pendent. They made their own decisions
king of Spain. Why
was Mary I known as
about what their congregations should and
“Bloody Mary”? should not do. They did not report to a
bishop of the Anglican Church, and they
chose their own ministers.
Queen Elizabeth I tolerated the
Who Was Bloody Mary? The Church of Puritans, but when James I became king
England came to be known as the Anglican in 1603, the Puritans faced harder times.
Church. It kept most of the rituals and sacra- James refused to allow anyone to disagree
ments of the Catholic Church. However, with the Anglican Church. The king headed
many English Catholics were not satisfied. the Anglican Church and appointed its
They wanted to stay Catholic. They backed leaders. The leaders, in turn, chose the
Henry and Catherine’s daughter Mary when priests for the congregations. James
she became Queen Mary I in 1553. Mary had believed that by choosing their own minis-
been raised Catholic and wanted to make ters, the Puritans were challenging the
England a Catholic kingdom again. king’s power.
Mary restored the Catholic Church in James I and the king who came after
England and arrested Protestants who him, Charles I, persecuted the Puritans.
opposed her. In her struggle to make They shut down Puritan churches and
England Catholic again, Mary burned jailed Puritan leaders. Many Puritans
300 people at the stake. The English were decided to move to America to practice
horrified and called her “Bloody Mary.” their religion freely. There they founded
Mary ruled about five years, then died. colonies that eventually became the states
Her half-sister Elizabeth took over the throne, of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New
becoming Queen Elizabeth I. Elizabeth was a Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
Protestant. She restored the Anglican Church
and went on to become one of the greatest Cause and Effect Why did
rulers in English history. Henry VIII create the Anglican Church?

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 649

(t)Scala/Art Resource, NY, (b)Michael Holford
Missionaries Go Overseas The first Jesuit missionary to Japan,
Francis Xavier, arrived in 1549. The Japanese
As part of the Counter-Reformation, at first welcomed the Jesuits. By 1600, the
Catholic kingdoms began sending missionaries over- Jesuits had converted thousands of Japanese
seas to convert people to Christianity. to Christianity.
Reading Focus Do you think spreading democracy is Eventually the Jesuits clashed with peo-
important? Read to learn how Catholic missionaries tried ple who believed in Buddhism and
to spread their religion to other people in the world. Shintoism. The Japanese Shogun, or military
ruler, banned Christianity in Japan and
When the Counter-Reformation began, expelled all missionaries.
many Catholics became committed to Spanish missionaries had much greater
spreading their faith. As part of this new success in the Philippine Islands. Most of
energy and determination, Catholic king- the people there eventually became
doms began sending missionaries overseas Catholic. Today the Philippines are the only
to America and Asia. Asian country with a Catholic majority.
The Jesuits were active missionaries in French missionaries tried to convert the
the 1500s and 1600s. French and Spanish people of Vietnam but were expelled by
Jesuits headed to America and Asia. In Vietnam’s emperor.
America, the Native Americans called them Identify In what parts of
the “Black Robes.” the world did Catholic missionaries teach?

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What Did You Learn?

Reading Summary 1. What was the Council of Trent,
and what did it accomplish?
4. Analyze Why did Henry VIII
form the Anglican Church?
Review the
• Across Europe, religious wars 2. Why was the Edict of Nantes 5. Explain Who were the
between Catholics and Protestants important? Puritans, and what were their
were fought in the 1500s and beliefs and practices?
Critical Thinking
1600s, while the Spanish mon- 3. Organizing Information 6. Predict How do you think
archs tried to make Spain an Draw a chart like the one conflicts over religion affected
exclusively Catholic country. below. Fill in details about the the world outside of Europe?
• In England, Henry VIII broke with steps the Catholic Church took 7. Expository Writing Write a
the Catholic Church and created to counter the Reformation. short essay summarizing the
the Anglican Church. Puritans history of Catholicism in Spain
later tried to reform the Anglican Church’s Efforts to Stop in the 1400s and 1500s.
Protestantism
Church and then fled to America.
• Catholic missionaries tried to
spread their religion to Asia
and America.

650 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

 Study anywhere, anytime!
Download quizzes and flash cards

Section The Renaissance Begins to your PDA from glencoe.com.

Vocabulary Focusing on the

Renaissance • The wealthy urban society of the Italian city-states brought a rebirth of
secular learning and art to Europe. (page 609)
diplomacy • Italy’s location helped its city-states grow wealthy from trade and banking,
but many of the cities fell under the control of strong rulers. (page 611)
• Unlike medieval nobles, the nobles of the Italian city-states lived in cities
and were active in trade, banking, and public life. (page 614)

Section New Ideas and Art

Vocabulary Focusing on the
humanism • Humanists studied the Greeks and Romans, and the development
vernacular of the printing press helped spread their ideas. (page 619)
• Renaissance artists used new techniques to produce paintings
that showed people in an emotional and realistic way. (page 623)
• Renaissance ideas and art spread from Italy to northern Europe. (page 625)

Section The Reformation Begins

Vocabulary Focusing on the
Reformation • The reforms of Martin Luther led to the
indulgence creation of new Christian churches. (page 634)
denomination • Political leaders often supported Protestantism
theology because they wanted more power. (page 639)
predestination • John Calvin’s Protestant teachings spread across Gutenberg Bible
Europe and into North America. (page 640)

Section Catholics and Protestants

Vocabulary Focusing on the
seminary • Catholics and Protestants fought religious wars across Europe. (page 643)
heresy • Henry VIII created the Anglican Church in England. (page 648)
annul • As part of the Counter-Reformation, Catholic kingdoms began sending
missionaries overseas to convert people to Christianity. (page 650)

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 651

Review Vocabulary Section 2 • New Ideas and Art
Write True beside each true statement. Replace 9. What did the humanists believe?
the word in italics to make false statements true. 10. How did Renaissance art differ from the
___ 1. Diplomacy is the art of negotiating. art of the Middle Ages?
___ 2. When the pope needed money in the Section 3 • The Reformation Begins
1500s, he sold indulgences. 11. What happened when Martin Luther tried
___ 3. The Renaissance belief that the individual to reform the Catholic Church?
and human society were important was 12. Describe John Calvin’s teachings.
known as theology. Section 4 • Catholics and Protestants
___ 4. A heresy is a special school for training 13. Where and why did the Thirty Years’ War
and educating priests. begin?
___ 5. Predestination encouraged Calvinists to 14. What changed England from a Catholic to
prove they were among the saved. a Protestant country?
___ 6. Writers began to write in the secular, the
everyday language of a region. Critical Thinking
15. Analyze Do you think banking played a

Review Main Ideas role in the wealth and art of the Italian
city-states? Explain.
Section 1 • The Renaissance Begins 16. Conclude Some Puritans moved to North
7. What set the stage for the Renaissance in America to practice their religion without
Italy? interference from European leaders. How
8. What made nobles of the Renaissance dif- was that desire for religious freedom
ferent from nobles of previous times? reflected in the U.S. Constitution?

Analyze and Clarify Go Beyond the Words

17. Read this passage about the importance quickly. With more books available,
of the printing press. Then answer the more people learned to read. Scholars
questions at the right to help you ana-
lyze and clarify how the printing press
could read one another’s work and
affected Europe. debate their ideas in letters. Ideas grew
and spread more quickly than ever
In the early 1450s, Johannes
before in Europe.
Gutenberg developed a printing press
Who? __________ Where? __________
that used movable metal type. This
What? __________ Why? __________
type of printing press made it possible
When? __________
to print many books much more
To review this skill, see pages 606–607.

652 CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation

 Self-Check Quiz To help you prepare for
Geography Skills the Chapter Test, visit jat.glencoe.com
Study the map below and answer the follow-
ing questions.
18. Location What geographical advantage Using Technology
does Venice have over Milan? 23. Researching The Renaissance revived the
19. Human/Environment Interaction Why Greek idea that a well-rounded person
might Mantua have been at a disadvantage took part in a variety of activities, includ-
in terms of trade? ing sports. Use the Internet and your local
20. Movement If you traveled from the city library to research one of the following
of Florence to the city of Venice, in what sports of the Renaissance: javelin hurling,
direction would you be going? tennis, archery, fencing, boxing, or hunting.
Present your findings to your classmates.
Discuss who participated and any resem-
Italy c. 1500 blances to modern-day sports.
S
Linking Past and Present
0 200 mi.
P
L 0 200 km
A Chamberlin Trimetric projection
Milan 24. Inferring Renaissance artists, architects,
Po R.
Venice and writers were greatly influenced by
N
Genoa Mantua ancient Greek and Roman culture. Do you
45°N
W E think people in those professions today are
Florence S equally influenced by artists and writers of
Pisa
A the past? Why or why not?
Ad

Siena
P

ri

ic
E

at
N

Corsica Se
a
N

Rome
IN

Analyze
E
S

Sardinia Naples
These are two of Luther’s Ninety-Five
40°N
Tyrrhenian Theses.
Sea
“37. Every true Christian, whether living or
dead, has a share in all the benefits of
Mediterranean Sea
Christ and of the Church, . . . even without
Sicily
10°E 15°E letters of pardon. . . .
45. Christians should be taught that he
who sees any one in need, and, passing him
by, gives money for pardons, is not pur-
Read to Write chasing for himself the indulgences of the
21. Expository Writing Research the life of Pope but the anger of God. . . .”
Renaissance nobles, merchants, shopkeep- —Martin Luther, ”Ninety-five Theses”
ers, or peasants. Then write an essay
describing the lifestyle and position of the
group you chose.
25. According to Luther, is the buying of
22. Using Your Use information in indulgences necessary?
your completed foldable to create a poster 26. What does Luther say is a use for
about one of the changes that occurred money that will please God?
during the Renaissance and Reformation.
Draw pictures, write captions, create titles,
and so on. Present your poster to the class.

CHAPTER 17 The Renaissance and Reformation 653