There are several important differences between the Italian Renaissance and the Renaissance in Northern Europe. At the end of the Middle Ages, towns in Italy grew into independent city-states, governing themselves. Aided by the growth of trade, these city states began to thrive and huge economic success was made by Italians at the time. Wealthy families, such as the the Medicis in Florence, began to rule these city states. The independence of these city states allowed these rulers to create new ideas about government and other worldly things. In Italy, the art created at the time reflected the ideas of humanism. Humanists at the time took an interest in the classical culture of ancient Greeks and Romans and stressed the importance of being
