What was the Renaissance? Describe its main features.
How to lay out the answer. Follow the frame, then write it in your own words.
1 · Open with the meaning. Renaissance means rebirth: a new awakening that began in Italy in the 14th century and ended the Age of Faith.
2 · Humanism. Human beings became the centre of study; scholars believed in their creative power. The humanities were born.
3 · Reason and inquiry. Reason replaced blind faith; knowledge came from observation and experiment, which led to modern science.
4 · Realism in art. Artists studied anatomy and proportion: Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello's David.
5 · Vernacular literature and printing. Writers used local languages: Dante, Machiavelli, Cervantes. The printing press spread books and the Bible widely.
6 · Nationalism and a new economy. National identities grew stronger, while trade, banking and town life expanded.
7 · Close in one line. The Renaissance moved Europe from the medieval to the modern world.
Scoring tip: Name at least one artist and one writer with their work. Examiners reward named examples.
