Glossary
Atlantic Slave Trade
The forced transportation of millions of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas, primarily to work on plantations and in mines, generating immense profits for European powers.
Example:
The brutal Middle Passage, where enslaved Africans endured horrific conditions, was the central component of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Centralized (power)
The process by which monarchs consolidated authority by directly collecting taxes, maintaining standing armies, establishing royal courts, and controlling religion, reducing the power of local lords.
Example:
Louis XI of France effectively centralized power by curbing the influence of the nobility and expanding royal administration.
Classical antiquity
Refers to the writings, art, and culture of ancient Greece and Rome that served as inspiration for Renaissance thinkers and artists.
Example:
Michelangelo's David, with its idealized human form, directly reflects the artistic principles of classical antiquity.
Colonies
Territories established and governed by a foreign power, often for the purpose of extracting resources and expanding influence.
Example:
The Spanish established numerous colonies in the Americas, such as New Spain and Peru, to exploit silver mines and agricultural lands.
Columbian Exchange
The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the Americas (the New World) and the Old World in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Example:
The introduction of potatoes from the Americas to Europe, a key part of the Columbian Exchange, significantly impacted European diets and population growth.
Humanism
An intellectual movement during the Renaissance that emphasized human potential and achievement, focusing on classical learning, individualism, and secular subjects.
Example:
Petrarch's dedication to recovering and studying ancient Latin manuscripts exemplifies the core tenets of humanism.
Individualism
A key aspect of Humanism that celebrated the unique talents, achievements, and potential of the individual human being.
Example:
The self-portraits of artists like Albrecht Dürer highlight the growing emphasis on individualism during the Renaissance.
Joint-stock companies
Business organizations where investors pool their capital to finance large-scale ventures, such as overseas trade and colonization, sharing both risks and profits.
Example:
The British East India Company, a powerful joint-stock company, played a crucial role in establishing and maintaining British trade and influence in Asia.
Maritime technology
Innovations in sailing equipment and navigational tools that enabled longer and more accurate oceanic voyages during the Age of Exploration.
Example:
The development of the caravel, with its lateen sails and sturdy hull, was a crucial piece of maritime technology that allowed Portuguese explorers to navigate against the wind.
Market Revolution
A significant economic shift in Europe characterized by a move from localized production to purchasing goods in broader markets, leading to the growth of banking and trade.
Example:
The increasing availability of goods like sugar and tobacco in European cities, purchased rather than self-produced, signaled the onset of the Market Revolution.
New Monarchies
Refers to the centralized monarchical governments that emerged in England, France, and Spain during the 15th and 16th centuries, consolidating royal power.
Example:
Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, by uniting their kingdoms and expelling the Moors, exemplify the rise of New Monarchies in Europe.
Northern Humanism
A form of humanism prevalent in Northern Europe that combined classical learning with Christian principles, seeking to reform society through religious devotion.
Example:
Erasmus's critiques of Church abuses, rooted in his study of early Christian texts, are a hallmark of Northern Humanism.
Perspective
An artistic technique developed during the Renaissance to create the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality on a flat surface, making paintings appear more realistic.
Example:
Masaccio's Holy Trinity fresco is one of the earliest and most striking examples of the masterful use of linear perspective to create a convincing sense of space.
Printing press
A revolutionary invention in the mid-1400s that allowed for the mass production of texts, significantly increasing access to knowledge and spreading ideas more widely.
Example:
The widespread dissemination of Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses was greatly facilitated by the printing press, allowing his ideas to reach a broad audience quickly.
Renaissance
A period of intellectual and artistic flourishing that began in Italy in the 14th century, marking a "rebirth" of classical ideas and a shift from medieval to early modern thought.
Example:
The construction of the dome of Florence Cathedral by Brunelleschi showcased the Renaissance mastery of classical architectural principles combined with innovative engineering.
Secular
Pertaining to non-religious subjects or matters, distinct from religious or spiritual concerns.
Example:
Machiavelli's The Prince, which advises rulers on gaining and maintaining power without reference to divine right, is a prime example of secular political thought.
Vernacular literature
Written works produced in the common, everyday language of a region or country, rather than in Latin.
Example:
Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, written in Italian rather than Latin, is an early and influential example of vernacular literature.