European Renaissance

The European Renaissance was based around changes in economic and social conditions, which founded a new artistic and cultural movement. The Renaissance was broken into two different sectors, the north and the south. The Southern Renaissance, beginning in Italy, was becoming more secular. People began to focus on the present and live life according to the ways of the world. With a new pro-pagan plan, following God for eternal life was put aside for riches and other pleasures. For the first time people were beginning to live their lives for themselves. The Northern Renaissance was quite the opposite. Humanism was an ideology they followed that was meant to reform the corrupt church through teachings of old Christian ways. People began to take responsibility for themselves as well as others. A perfect example of these ideas is shown in Desiderius Erasmus' work, Praise of Folly, where he asked to return to "simple virtues." Another important piece that he wrote was the new edition of the New Testament, which included commentaries. One of the themes of this version was the inner nature of Christianity which meant that true followers should follow in the path of Christ. This is still very prevalent in many Christian teachings.

On the political side there was a breakthrough in the ways of the state. The state became separate from the rulers and the subjects. The rulers were no longer the owners, but protectors and servants of the state. This lead to one of the great works of the time, The Prince, by Machiavelli which is still read in literature classes today. He described the government for what it really was as opposed to what it should have been.