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The Renaissance (or the "rebirth") began in the great city-states of Italy. It was both a philosphical and artistic movement and the era when that movement flourished.
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Johannes Gutenbery of Mainz became the first European to use movable type to print books. Gutenberg used his printing press to print copies of the Bible
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Leonardo da Vinci was an architect, engineer, painter, scultpor, and scientist. He painted "The Last Supper", a very famous painting during the renaissance, and today.
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Michelanglo was a brilliant painter. In addition to his art, Michelangelo wrote poetry and helped to design St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
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Thomas more published Utopia. Utopia became popular in Europe, where it was translated into many different languages. His work was read and generally aclaimed humanist thinkers throughout much of Europe.
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martin Luther openly disagreed with many church doctrine. He claimed that the Bible was the sole religious authority. Luther argued that ceremonie could not make up for sins and that priests had no special role in helping people to salvation.
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Pope Leo X declared Luther a heretic. He excommunicated Luther from the catholic Church, because he continued to attack certain church practices and approaches.
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Henry VIII defended the church against Luther's teachings. The pope had granted Henry the "Defender of the Faith".
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Baldassare Castiglione published the most famous book of the Renaissance. Castiglione used real people engaged in fictional conversations to explain how gentlemen and gentlewomen should act in polite society.
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Zwingli died in a battle between Catholics and Protestants. Zwingli's followers covered up wall decorations in churches. His work was carried on by a French Protestant named John Calvin.
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John Calvin published a complete and clear set of religious beliefs, "The Institutes of the Christian Religion". This work explains what the faithful should believe on every major religious question.
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After trying to stop the spread of Protestantism, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Princes reached a compromise. The Peace of Augsburg stated that each German ruler had the right to choose the religion for his state.
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This proclamation gave the Huguenots freedom of worship and some political rights
