Significant Renaissance Events

The Magna Carta was issued

Jan 1, 1215

The Magna Carta was a significant document because it limited the power of Kings in Britain. King John hated the French, thus declared war and started taxing the nobles who opposed his decision. Therefore the nobles made the Magna Carta which stated that nobles had certain political rights and made the King sign the contract. This made the ruler follow certain laws which created more democratic movements.

Trading began

Jan 1, 1300

Trading became more important during the 14th, 15th, and 16th century as new instruments were created like the astrolabe, compass, and maps. These helped sailors/crews to travel through waters without getting lost as easily and helped identifiy where the ship was using the instruments. Cartographers who mapped the waters became more significant because the maps helped people travel to new places to trade for expensive, rare materials/food/spices that aren’t seen or grown in their homeland.

The Bubonic Plague

Jan 1, 1350

Also called the Black Plague or the Black Death, it was very significant because it killed about one third of Europe’s population during the mid-14th century. Labor became scarce, industries contracted, economy stagnated, and agriculture was also not needed as much as unneeded marginal land went out of cultivation. This was not a nice time during the early Renaissance-late Middle Ages since many people were killed and sad.

Petrarch and Humanism

Jan 1, 1400

Humanism emerges as people called humanists taught scholars more about the philosophy, art, teachings and writing of the Ancient Greeks and Romans instead of only acting upon the teachings of the church and how to get heavenly rewards. Petrarch (1304-1374) was among the first humanists and he studied the works of Cicero and Virgil, the two great writers of the Roman age. He studied the ancient language like latin and wrote poetry and works discussing Humanism.

Florence's population increased

Jan 1, 1400

Florence is a model of Renaissance culture through writers, painters, architects & philosophers. It became an exciting place in the 15th century and had a population of 60 000- self-governed and an independent city. It thrived from its strong economy and political philosophy, as well as its many artist guilds. The manufacture/trade of cloth made from quality wool was sold to Italy and the northern European cities. Banking was also popular and a primary source of Florence’s income.

Joan of Arc & The Siege of Orleans

May 8, 1429

Joan of Arc’s first major military victory- The Siege of Orleans- and also the French’s first major success (1428-1429). It marked a huge turning point in the Hundred Year’s War between France and England. It also marked the pinnacle of English power during the later stages of war and the city held a strategic and symbolic significance to both countries.

Leon Battista Alberti introduces Linear Perspective

Jan 1, 1435

In 1435, Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) provided the first theory on linear perspective. He wrote his book, On Painting, which later helped other painters learn the principles outlined in his book. Instead of only having paintings of Christ and God, later paintings related to the perspective of the viewer and painter creating a larger field of vision and reality in arts.

Johann Gutenburg invents Printing Press

Jan 1, 1445

The printing press allowed books to be less expensive, made quicker and with less effort instead of handwriting every book and parchment. Handwriting all documents required long processes to make animal skin clean, thin, and smooth before it could be written on. There would also be less labour in the making process if there was a printing press. The bible was also copied for the peasants so the church couldn't lie about fake practices.

Leonardo da Vinci was born

Apr 15, 1452

Leonardo Da Vinci was a significant person in history because he excelled in painting, sculpting, architect, engineering, biology, and occupied many more occupations. He made some very inspiring and famous paintings like Mona Lisa and his contributions triggered new significant inventions long after his death. Being born in Vinci, Italy, he also worked in Rome, Bologna, and Venice before spending the rest of his years in France before he died in Amboise on May 2nd, 1519.

Fall of Constantinople

May 29, 1453

This marked the end of the Roman Empire as this led to the study of Greek & Roman cultures and the development of Renaissance humanism/science when the scholars that fled Constantinople brought Western Europe more knowledge since they were humanists, poets, writers, astronomers and many more. Cannons/gunpowder began to be used & the general intrusion of the Turks also severed the main overland trade link with Asia & Europe which resulted in Europeans seriously considering trading overseas.

Michelangelo was born

Mar 6, 1475

Michelangelo, an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer was born March 6th 1475 and died February 18th, 1564. His works inspired many painters, sculptors and architects for even after many generations. He pioneered the Mannerist style with sophistication and he had a very unique understanding of art. Michelangelo was considered to be the greatest living artist of his lifetime and most of his works are among the most famous is existence (David, etc.).

Raphael Sanzio was born

Apr 6, 1483

Rapahel (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino) was born April 6th 1483 & died April 6th 1520. He was an Italian painter and architect during the High Renaissance and was admired for his clarity of form & ease of composition while also known for his visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur. Raphael is also noted for his Madonnas, frescoes and the Four Raphael Rooms. He also decorated the apartments for Pope Julius II called the Stanze.

Martin Luther was born

Nov 10, 1483

Martin Luther, born in Eiselben, Germany, started the significant Reformation in 1517 when he stated and nailed his 95 theses to explain how you cannot be freed of God's punishment for sins by purchasing it with money for indulgences. He challenged the Pope and confronted the indulgence salesman but they refused his beliefs and after many discussions he was excommunicated. But in the end the Reformation was successful as a new branch of Christianity (Protestant) was born.

Christopher Columbus discovers New World

May 30, 1498

Christopher Columbus discovered the New World of the present North America. This is very significant because this discovery increased the population in the New World which is now Canada, USA, and Mexico. Without the discovery, nobody would’ve gone to the New World to populate it, bring trades into it along with the Aboriginal who lived there. Without the discovery, there might not even be North America.

The Reformation & Protestant churches

Oct 31, 1517

The Reformation that started in 1517 was very important because it changed the church’s bad practices that were used to earn more money. The churches reformed into a new branch or Christianity called Protestant on October 31st 1517 following practices in the bible. Families did not have to buy indulgences anymore to prevent them from going to purgatory before heading to heaven, instead if they just did more good deeds to correct their sins, they didn't have to stay in purgatory so long.

The Act of Supremacy of 1534 created

Jan 1, 1534

This confirmed the King’s status as having supremacy over the church while the nobles had to swear an oath recognising his supremacy. King Henry VIII had to break away the English church from the authority that the Roman Catholic Church had over it after the Pope excommunicated Henry in 1533. In 1536, Henry seized the church’s assets in England and declared the Church of England as an established church, also making him head of it and the Act helped confirm that.

Queen Elizabeth I succeeded to throne

Nov 1, 1558

As the 1st queen of England & Ireland, Elizabeth's 45 year reign was considered the “golden period” of English history. Elizabeth was born in Greenwich September 7th 1533, she was fluent in 6 languages and an intelligent woman. She returned Protestant to England and the Church of England was Protestant though allowed some Old Catholic traditions to continue. Her reign expanded trade overseas and arts flourished as famous poets, actors and composers such as Shakespeare played in her court.

William Shakespeare was born

Apr 26, 1564

William Shakespeare had incredible writing skills that are still seen today and a majority of his works are written on basic human themes that are still seen through many generations. His arts and writing has evolved into drama and plays and he is regarded as the greatest writer of the English language as he has also influenced many famous novelists or poets, changing how European theatre could be seen through characterization, plot, language and genre.

Galileo Galilei invents the 1st telescope

Jan 1, 1609

Galileo Galilei (an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher) was born near Pisa in 1564 and he built his first telescope in 1609. It helped view the universe, later on inspiring new inventions for space. The telescope saw an indefinite amount of stars and mountains/craters on the moon. It helped Galileo plot movements of celestial bodies in the sky which led to other discoveries. Galileo proved Aristotle wrong and that everything, whether the weight, fell at the same speed.

Isaac Newton was born

Dec 25, 1642

Isaac Newton died March 20th 1726 and is remembered as perhaps the most brilliant & influential scientist of all time. His discovery of gravity changed the whole world by inspiring other discoveries and science. He also studied and wrote books about mathematics, physics and theology. His entire life was devoted to studying & discovering new things about the world around him. He invented more practical telescopes, studied astrononomy & created laws that explained the physics in space & on Earth.