What was so radical about the Renaissance?

1. What was so radical about the Renaissance? L/O – To identify why new ideas were being developed during the Tudor Period Starter – What was Britain like in 1485?

2. So, what’s new? • At the start of the Tudor period, many new ideas were starting to appear in Europe. • Old medieval attitudes were being questioned by some people, and new modern ideas were being developed which changed important parts of people’s lives. • As a result, people at the time called this period of history the ‘Renaissance’ which means ‘rebirth’.

3. Group 1: Explorers COLUMBUS 1451-1500 ‘We developed better, stronger ships and better compasses so we sailors could travel further. I tried to sail all the way round the world. I was the first European explorer to sail into the Pacific. I wanted to bring home spices and luxuries to make me rich.’ ‘I wanted to explore the world. I sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. I was looking for a quicker way to get to India and China but I discovered a new continent. I took Spanish people to settle there. I made new maps to show other ships how to get there.’ VASCO DA GAMA 1460-1524 MAGELLAN 1480-1521 Write a sentence to sum up one of the ‘new ideas’

4. LEONARDO DA VINCI 1452-1519 Group 2: Artists ‘Paintings used to look flat and unrealistic. But I was a good observer and a skilled artist so my art looed very lifelike. Many people wanted me to paint for them – but my greatest triumph was to cover the whole ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with paintings of Christian stories.’ ‘Instead of just painting religious art like painters used to I also painted pictures of ancient Greek myths. Some of my paintings were burned because the Church said they were pagan.’ ‘I was an artist but I wanted to have a go at everything else too! I designed war machines, flying machines, canals, water pumps. Yet I also found time to paint the most famous picture in history – the Mona Lisa.’ Write a sentence to sum up one of the ‘new ideas’ BOTTICELLI 1444-1510 MICHELANGELO 1475-1564

5. VESALIUS 1514-1564 Group 3: Scientists COPERNICUS 1473-1543 ‘With my improved telescope I proved that Copernicus was right about the Sun. I also did other science experiments – it’s important to find things out for yourself, not just to believe what people tell you. But it got me into trouble. My books were banned by the Pope but he could not stop the ideas spreading.’ ‘People used to say that it was wrong to dissect dead bodies. But I dissected bodies to find out for myself how the muscles, bones and organs connect to each other. I made detailed drawings which were published as a book so any doctor could see inside a body without cutting it up for themselves.’ ‘People used to say that the Sun orbits the Earth. I studied the skies carefully and from the movements of the planets I said for certain that was not the case. The Earth and all the other planets go round the Sun. Earth is not the centre of the universe. The Sun is!’ GALILEO 1564-1642 Write a sentence to sum up one of the ‘new ideas’

6. LUTHER 1483-1546 Group 4: Miscellaneous MACHIAVELLI 1469-1527 ‘All books used to be written out by hand. But I brought the first printing press to Europe. Once we could make books by the thousand all the other new ideas spread much more quickly than before.’ ‘I was a monk, then I became a protester. I hated the way the Catholic Church distorted the truth of Christianity. I wrote books explaining what the Bible really said. The Pope ordered them to be burned.’ ‘I carefully observed what made a successful ruler and I wrote a book of advice for kings and princes on how to keep and use power. I said they had to be strong and ruthless but they had to be fair.’ Write a sentence to sum up one of the ‘new ideas’ What ‘idea’ helped spread the other new ideas? GUTENBURG 1400-1468

7. Plenary • Who was the first Tudor king? • Was there such thing as the UK in 1485? • What does the ‘Renaissance’ mean? • Which new idea was the most important? • Which new idea helped other ideas spread? • Which was the most dangerous new idea that would have caused serious arguments? Did we meet our learning objective? L/O – To examine what Britain was like in 1485 and to identify why new ideas were being developed