The 13th and 14th centuries, known as the Late Middle Ages, were a time of struggle. Politically, this time period was a mess. The hundred years war between England and France was arduous. The war wasn’t necessarily the bloodiest, but the economical impact was substantial. High taxes and inflation combined with the arrival of the Bubonic Plague caused tremendous hardships. Throughout the middle …show more content…
Renaissance art was often very realistic. The focus of the art was on the human form, one of the main themes of the Renaissance. Sculptures of the human body were more accurate than ever. Artist Leonardo da Vinci instilled the ideals of the Renaissance in his work. His paintings were well balanced and portrayed the world how it really was. Some of his most famous works, such as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, are examples of this. Other impressive pieces created during this time are Michelangelo 's sculpture of David and his painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. These are some of the most recognizable pieces of art in the world almost 600 years …show more content…
The Enlightenment, like the Renaissance, was a cultural and intellectual movement. At its core, the Enlightenment was a focus on the rights of the individual. In the Middle Ages, everyone simply just believed what the Church told them and assumed it was the truth. The power of the Church during that period was incredible. Inspired by the Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment thinkers inspired people to think for themselves using reason. This idea was known as rationalism. Since the Church was seemingly more and more corrupt, Enlightenment ideals of personal freedom were welcome. In England, two major political structures were proposed. Thomas Hobbes argued in “Leviathan” that a strong leader was necessary, but 50 years later, John Locke argued that the people needed better representation. The english people sided with Locke, leading to the establishment of a bill of rights. In France, there was a revolution happening. The people were unhappy with the rule of the monarchs and Louis XIV did not help. He was a successful monarch, however he was very aggressive, and his foreign policy set up the emotions leading to revolution. After Louis XV took over the throne, the Enlightenment was just reaching France. Intellectual salons appeared over France, housing discussion about the political future. Those related to these salons were called philosophes. The philosophes expressed Enlightenment ideas of rational thought. They opposed