1    What does the word "renaissance" mean?
A:   The word "renaissance" means rebirth.
2    What was the Renaissance in the history of Europe?
A:   It was during 14th-17th centuries.
3    What were some of the changes or developments that took place in the Renaissance?
A:   The decline of feudalism ,Church influence and the invention of a movable type printing press.
4    How did the decline of feudalism help bring about the Renaissance?
A:   Townspeople had greater freedom than serfs. Many of them were educated. They had more ideas about art and learning. They looked at things in a new way. So ,the Renaissance started.
5    How did the decline of Church influence help start the Renaissance?
A:   Many Europeans became interested in the world around them, not just in religion. That is why the Renaissance began.
6    How did the invention of a movable type printing press help the Renaissance to start?
A:   The moveable type printing press Could be printed more quickly. The book did not have to written by hand. Their price fell. People could afford to buy books. Ideas and learning spread easily when more people read books This helped the spread of ideas and learning. So the Renaissance started.
7    How did the following cause the Renaissance to begin in Italy?
      ( a )  The special position of the Italian city states
       A:     Italy was made up of many independent city-states. Feudalism had almost disappeared. Most of the Italians living in these city-states were freemen, and not serfs. They could speak freely. They had more ideas about art and learning.
      ( b )  The Crusades
       A:     Italy was on the route to the Holy Land. The traders of Florence, Venice, Genoa and other Italian city-states made a lot of money from the Crusades. They could pay good prices for fine art and paintings. As a result, famous artists and scholars all over Europe gathered in Italy.
      ( c )  Art and learning in Roman times
       A:    Compared to other parts of Europe, Italy had more remains of ancient Roman art and learning. It was the best place to study classical things and learning.
      ( d )  The fall of Constantinople
       A:     Many scholars escaped to Italy when the Turks took Constantinople. They brought art, paintings and learning with them to Italy. This helped to increase Italian interest in ancient Greco-Roman art and learning.
8    How did Humanism affect people in the Renaissance?
A:   The Renaissance affect people religion and changed people's Thinking.
9    How did Humanism influence art in the Renaissance?
A:   Many buildings in Europe, America, Asia and Hong Kong copied the design from ancient Greco-Roman architects. These buildings have a large dome and tall columns.