The Italian Renaissance: A New Era After the Middle ages

When the Middle Ages started to decline, a new era began to emerge. Inspired by secularism and the classics of ancient Rome and Greece, the Italian Renaissance was a cultural evolution that spurred some the world’s finest arts, music, architecture, and literature. The Italian Renaissance was a surge of ideas and creativity that would define the modern world. Since the end of the Renaissance, scholars have been mystified by the root cause that led to such a great era. Although the origins of the Italian Renaissance all vary in importance, all of the factors were linked to one another. The Black Death, a devastating disease that killed 1/3 of the population, resulted in a more open economy that raised wages and it led to the people losing faith in the Church. The notion of secularism and humanism, founded by Francesco Petrarch and other humanists, arose from the loss of faith and the invention of the printing press, which helped spread the philosophies. Humanism became common among nobles, who wanted to promote themselves and their families through patronage of classical arts, thus subsidizing the Italian Renaissance.

In the middle of the fourteenth century, the Black Death claimed nearly 200 million lives across Europe. Despite the devastation, the deadly plague contributed to the birth of the Italian Renaissance in two ways (Wilde ¶7-8). Financially, the Black Death was a key factor to the Italian Renaissance. With the death of nearly 200 million lives, “the poor who had survived the plague suddenly found themselves in a position of power” (Hodgman ¶11). Not only can the poor demand for better working conditions, but can demand higher wages. This enabled anyone to get wealthier. Also, food prices dropped because there was fewer pe...

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...s power but it’s beliefs. This became known as science. Renaissance science ideas even dictate modern day sciences. Patronage was central to the funding of the Renaissance.

The Italian Renaissance was a result of many events that lead to one another. Even the least expected events, like the Black Death, contributed to the rise of the Renaissance. It’s greatness has been admired since the end of the Renaissance. It spurred fine arts and magnificent churches. New ideas surged and spread. It was a cultural evolution the defined the modern age. The Italian Renaissance is known throughout the world and will always be remembered. Due to it’s magnificence, it is hard to believe that one of the main causes, humanism, was a mere idea. To list all of the factors of the Renaissance is impossible, however the big causes include the Black Death, humanism, and patronage.