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The Black Death unleashed a rampage of death across Europe that was unprecedented in recorded history. Coming out of the East, the Black Death reached the shores of Italy in the spring of 1348. By the time the epidemic played itself out three years later, anywhere between 25% and 50% of Europe's population had fallen victim to the pestilence.
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Renaissance comes from a french word and means "rebirth." It was a "rebirth" of culture and society after the Black Death ended in 1350. It was also the rebirth of classical art and intellectual thinking of ancient Greece and Rome.
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The Renaissance thrived in Italian city states, such as Florence, Rome, and Venice. It was a period of innovation, imagination and creativity. Renaissance means "rebirth."
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Joan of Arc's was a teenage French peasant who lead a French force in her first military victory to break the English control of the French city of Orleans. This was the turning point in the 100 years war between England and France.
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The printing press was invented in the Holy Roman Empire around 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg. The printing press had metal movable type pieces and replaced the old method of wooden block printing.
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Lorenzo de Medici, also known as "Lorenzo the Magnificent" was a statesman who ruled the Italian city of Florence. He was as a patron of artists, writers and humanists. He sponsored artists like Botticelli and Michelangelo.
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Humanism was a way of thinking that gave importance to individual and human society. In humanism, reason, as well as faith, was a path to knowledge.
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Erasmus, also known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist. He was a Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian. He was critical of abuses within the Catholic Church and called for reform in the church.
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Taking three years to complete, Botticelli started painting The Birth of Venus in 1482 and finished in 1485. The painting is one of the most well know masterpieces in the world, and is a tribute to classic Latin literature.
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Rafael was an Italian artist and architect of the High Renaissance. He is know for his "Madonnas" and Vatican frescoes. His architecture included ornamental details which would come to define the architecture of the Renaissance period. Sadly he died on April 6, 1520.
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European kingdoms are now stronger and began the age of exploration and discovery. Portugal wanted exotic spices from India and the middle east but the voyage was long around the coast of Africa. European kingdoms begin colonizing other areas of the world, such as Africa, Asia and the Americas.
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Columbus wanted to find a faster way to get to Asia. He led his three ships - the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria - out of the Spanish port of Palos on August 3, 1492. He discovered the Americas in 1492 and Spain grew rich with gold and other resources from the new found lands.
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Leonardo Da Vinci was a famous artist of the Renaissance period. The Last Supper is one of this most famous paintings. Completed in 1498, the painting depicts Christ's final meal with this apostles. It was painted on the wall of the dining hall of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. It took him over three years to complete the painting.
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95 Theses was written by Martin Luther to oppose the Catholic Church's practice of selling "indulgences" to absolve sin. He had two central beliefs- that the Bible was the center of religious authority, and that people reach salvation through their faith, not their deeds.
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The reformation was when Martin Luther set out to reform or correct corruption within the Catholic Church. He posted his "95 Theses" outlining his complaints. The Pope did not accept theses ideas and Martin Luther broke away from the Catholic Church and formed the Protestant Church. Because of this divide, wars erupted, powers of monarchy's increased, and powers of church leaders decreased.
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The Mona Lisa is another famous painting by Leonardo DiVinci. It took him four years to complete and was displayed in 1506. The subject's mysterious smile and unknown identity have made it an object of fascination.
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In 1508 Pope Julius ll hired Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. It was completed in 1512. The paintings are centered around several scenes from the Old Testament. The chapel serves as a gathering place for Cardinals to elect a new Pope.
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Henry the Vlll was the King of England from April 21, 1509 until his death. He was the first ever English King of Ireland. His disagreements with the Pope lead the Church of England to separate from the Catholic Church.
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Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat. In 1512 Machiavelli wrote The Prince, a handbook for leaders. His ideas were about being cunning, sneaky and lying.
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During the period of the renaissance people wore unique outfits. These outfits were worn by wealthy people. These outfits were made in 1530 to 1533
