-Renaissance Humanism, according to Jerry Brotton, was a period of intellectual transition and evolution marked by a didactic shift from Medieval scholastic concentrations to a "studia humanitatis", an adaptation of Greco-Roman learning suited to understand the present (39). The curriculum of rhetoric, history and moral philosophy gathered from this transition peaked with the invention of the printing press, contributing greatly to the dissemination of new ideas through print across Europe. This combination of new tradition and new technology provided a structure of practical advancement in sociopolitical and religious institutions, effectively conjoining Renaissance Humanism with the development of politics and religious reformation that
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Because of their popularity, these vernacular languages began to take the place of Latin and Greek in literature, enabling a high level of accessibility to printed books (49). As more and more publications in French, Italian and other languages circulated, a growing sense of profound national belonging took root. The authority of the Catholic Church, weakened by the Protestant Reformation and the widespread disdain for its excesses that followed, deteriorated heavily with the nationalist masses who took to their own upper authorities. Niccolo Machiavelli, author of the quintessential text on maintaining power, The Princeexhibits the apex of growing passivity among the masses by describing a great deal of extreme tactics usable to control a populace (55). In advising his authority - and suffering imprisonment, Machiavelli extended the tenets of Renaissance humanism to its logical conclusion, presenting the final product of obedience sown into the elite and commoners alike. The foundation previously laid - with the help of the printed book as a major catalyst, led inexorably to the concentration of power in Europe. Communities were no longer bound unilaterally to the weakening papacy, but to nations in which particular aspects of their culture …show more content…
As nations began to develop, the interests of many monarchs tended towards securing wealth for their own benefit; a direct result of the constant flow of exotic goods into Europe during the Renaissance era. As Renaissance humanism developed alongside the European economies, imperialist tendencies evolved as rulers grew more and more authoritarian; the absolute power of European monarchs was a key component in dedicating the vast amount of resources required to fund and execute voyages to the New World. As a result, an era of colonialism would evolve, siphoning the resources of the New World - be it spices, metals or slaves, for European
Because of their popularity, these vernacular languages began to take the place of Latin and Greek in literature, enabling a high level of accessibility to printed books (49). As more and more publications in French, Italian and other languages circulated, a growing sense of profound national belonging took root. The authority of the Catholic Church, weakened by the Protestant Reformation and the widespread disdain for its excesses that followed, deteriorated heavily with the nationalist masses who took to their own upper authorities. Niccolo Machiavelli, author of the quintessential text on maintaining power, The Princeexhibits the apex of growing passivity among the masses by describing a great deal of extreme tactics usable to control a populace (55). In advising his authority - and suffering imprisonment, Machiavelli extended the tenets of Renaissance humanism to its logical conclusion, presenting the final product of obedience sown into the elite and commoners alike. The foundation previously laid - with the help of the printed book as a major catalyst, led inexorably to the concentration of power in Europe. Communities were no longer bound unilaterally to the weakening papacy, but to nations in which particular aspects of their culture …show more content…
As nations began to develop, the interests of many monarchs tended towards securing wealth for their own benefit; a direct result of the constant flow of exotic goods into Europe during the Renaissance era. As Renaissance humanism developed alongside the European economies, imperialist tendencies evolved as rulers grew more and more authoritarian; the absolute power of European monarchs was a key component in dedicating the vast amount of resources required to fund and execute voyages to the New World. As a result, an era of colonialism would evolve, siphoning the resources of the New World - be it spices, metals or slaves, for European