Middle Ages vs. the Renaissance Essay

They believed that the people of the Middle Ages used religion as an excuse to drink and gain money and power (Document 5). The Middle Ages was a time where people were more conserved with education and did not have the curiosities that fell upon those in the Renaissance.

The purpose of life and man's place in the world was viewed differently during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. During the Middle Ages, also known as "The Age of Faith," man's purpose was to serve God. Life was

19. Who is Guillaume de Machaut? 14th century poet and musician who composed the first complete polyphonic setting of the entire Ordinary of the Mass.

Generalism was another value that changed from the Middle Ages. Generalism soon became a desirable quality during the Renaissance as more people desired to be good at everything. This was completely different during the Middle Ages, where there was barely any time for anyone to study anything other than religion. Days in the Middle Ages were spent providing for the manor, and making sure that everything a person needed to survive was obtained. “Peasants rarely traveled more than 25 miles from their own manor. By standing in the center of a plowed field, they could see their entire world at a glance...In Europe, the majority of the people were peasants. Most peasants were serfs.” (McDougal Littell, page 360) Serfs spent their days farming and providing food for their Lord and the entire manor. They were the “stabilizer” of the manor; without them everyone would starve and the manor would fall apart.“For most serfs, both men and women, life was work and more work. Their days revolved around raising crops and livestock and taking care of home and family.” (McDougal Littell, page 363). Most of the little free time that they had were used to pray. This made it practically impossible to study any other regions of education. As a result of their tedious days on the fields and the expectations of the Church, very few people, if any at all, would be considered the “ideal Renaissance person” during the Middle Ages.

The shift between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance was characterized by great socio-economic, political, and religious changes. Politically, the feudal system of the Middle Ages was exchanged for a more stable centralized republic/monarchy system that gave the people more freedom and input. Religiously, secularism became more important as stability gave people a chance to concern themselves with the “here and now” rather than simply the “hereafter.” Socially, there was a shift from dogma and unshakeable belief to humanism and the ability to interpret things for oneself. The Middle Ages began around 400 CE and lasted until 1400 CE while the Renaissance began around 1200 and continued until 1600. The 200 years that overlap between

The Renaissance was a time of change and prosperity. The decision was made depending on the difference of two eras. Unlike the Renaissance, the Middle Ages were a thousand years of ignorance and superstition. The Renaissance men were leaders in an era of rebirth and learning looked to the Ancient Greeks and Romans for models of advance. Many historians felt that the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were one era. The debate centers around whether the Renaissance was a unique age or a continuation of the Middle Ages.

“Once there was time time when all people believed in God and the church ruled,” doesn’t George Bernard Shaw make it seem like life would seem simple in the middle ages. Everyone believing in the same ideas and practices. Although, it might not be that simple, back in the middle ages everyone believed the Christianity. The church unified its people from a once corrupt world. The people would devote countless hours of their lives to give back to the church. Above all, the feudal system was controlled by the church, including the all mighty kings. Christianity brought upon an age of faith throughout the middle ages.

The Middle Ages was all about order. The Church was the center of life and community. Each individual knew and accepted his or her place in society. The Renaissance was all about change. During The Renaissance, everything was challenged including the Church. Artists of great magnitude emerged during this time.

The worldview of the Middle Ages was shaped by religion. The Church had an idea of the world, and others had faith that what the Church said was all true. The Church stated all of the things that they thought were possible, and that God is the only one who is perfect. In contrast to the Middle Ages, the worldview during the Renaissance was shaped by exploration and innovation. Michelangelo, Raphael, and others continued investigating because they knew that humans were capable of perfecting themselves.

The Renaissance challenged the status quo of the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages, the Church had authority over most people. These people also had limited rights. All of this changed during the Renaissance. This period of time focused on the philosophy of humanism, which embodied the idea that humans were a significant part of the world. The Renaissance changed man’s view of man through the institutions of literature, astronomy, anatomy, and art.

The Middle Ages and the Renaissance are two time periods in the history of Europe. While they are close in time, the contents of their times were drastically different. Through studying the events of these two time periods, looking at both the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, you can begin to realize the difference in the government, art, and religion.

Imagine having to bury your own children. How awful would that be? The Middle Ages were a brutal time that included the bubonic plague, many wars and other horrible things. This period is considered to be one of religion and the Catholic Church, but this was overshadowed by chaos and confusion. Although the Middle Ages is often known as the age of faith, a more appropriate title for the time period would be The Dark Ages because of the black death, wars and the collapse of government.

The middle ages and the renaissance have many similarities. Both had a dark period and downfall. During both periods the

The secularism and humanism of the Renaissance were reflected in its scholarship and education. Its concern was with this world rather than the hereafter, and its focus was on pagan classics rather than Christian theology. The father Of Renaissance literature, Petrarch, stressed that the new boarding schools were not to train priests but the sons of merchants.

As time passes, people and the way they see the world change. Accounts from the middle ages describe a way of life centered around faith whilst the renaissance emphasized individual scholarship in science and the arts. Biographies from the renaissance and medieval time periods prove that the ways of life changed over a short amount of time.