New
New
Year 7
The background to the Renaissance
I can explain why the Renaissance began.
New
New
Year 7
The background to the Renaissance
I can explain why the Renaissance began.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Renaissance began in the 14th century.
- More scholars were interested in the Greek and Roman world.
- The Renaissance was sparked by intellectual curiosity.
- The Renaissance began in southern Europe.
- Educated people such as humanists communicated in Latin.
Keywords
Renaissance - from a French term for ‘rebirth’, the Renaissance was a period of revival in European art and literature under the influence of classical ideas
Classical - something is classical when it relates to ancient Greece or Rome
Humanists - humanists were people who were interested in the classical world and the potential of the human race
Common misconception
Pupils may think that many of the ideas of the Renaissance were new to science, literature and art.
Explain to pupils that the Renaissance was a period during which knowledge lost in Western Europe was rediscovered, rather than created for the first time.
If time allows, discuss the ideas present in De rerum natura in more detail. Focus on the idea that while Lucretius did not challenge the existence of God, or gods, he did challenge the idea that they could have an impact on the lives of humans.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
The civil war that began in England during the reign of Henry VI was known as the War of the...
Q2.
Which of these battles was the bloodiest ever fought on English soil?
Mortimer's Cross
St Albans
Barnet
Wakefield
Q3.
The Paston letters reveal how families from which social group were impacted by the Wars of the Roses?
The nobility
The peasantry
The clergy
Q4.
Which of these aspects of strong kingship were tested during the Wars of the Roses?
A king's piety
A king's ability to win territory overseas
Q5.
Starting with the earliest, place these events in chronological order.
Q6.
Which of these best describes who was affected by the Wars of the Roses?
The gentry, the nobility and the Houses of York and Lancaster
The clergy and the peasants
The Houses of York, Lancaster and Tudor
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which of these humanists came earliest?
Niccoli
Bracciolini
Q2.
With the rediscovery of classical knowledge, this period saw artistic and scientific ‘rebirth’ known as the...
Q3.
Which of these best describes Lucretius' De rerum natura?
It was a religious poem about the nature of God
It was a poem written as an attack on the Catholic Church
Q4.
Humanists were interested in the world of ancient Greece and Rome.
Q5.
When Niccoli received Bracciolini's copy of De rerum natura he it.
Q6.
Where did humanists like Petrarch and Bracciolini find classical documents?
In the great university libraries of the age
In the markets of the Italian city-states.
Additional material
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