What was the Renaissance and why did art and learning blossom then?
Europe's Big Wake-Up
What was the Renaissance and why did art and learning blossom then?
Imagine Europe waking up from a long, sleepy morning, stretching, rubbing its eyes, and suddenly noticing how much there was to do. That waking-up is what we call the Renaissance — a French word that simply means "rebirth." It ran roughly from the 1300s to the 1600s, and it began in the sun-warmed cities of Italy.
But rebirth of what, exactly? Long before, the ancient Greeks and Romans had written beautiful poems, sculpted lifelike statues, and asked big questions about the world. Much of that work had been tucked away and half-forgotten for centuries. Then people started reading it again — and it felt brand new.
