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1380
Humanism
Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and collectively, and generally prefers critical thinking and evidence over acceptance of dogma or superstition -
Apr 15, 1452
Leonardo da Vinci
He was a Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, and military engineer. He studied the laws of science and nature which influenced his work. Vinci is known for paintings like "The Last Supper' and "Mona Lisa." -
Oct 28, 1466
Erasmus
Dutch humanist who was the greatest scholar of the Northern Renaissance. Erasmus was the first editor of the New Testament. Some of his notable works are "Adagia" and "Praise of Folly." -
Feb 3, 1468
Johan Gutenberg
German blacksmith, goldsmith, inventor, printer, and publisher who introduced printing to Europe with the printing press.Gutenberg in 1439 was the first European to use movable type. Among his many contributions to printing are the invention of a process for mass-producing movable type. The use of oil-based ink for printing books, adjustable molds, mechanical movable type, and the use of a wooden printing press similar to the agricultural screw presses of the period. -
Feb 19, 1473
Copernicus
Nicolaus was a renaissance-era mathematician and astronomer. He formulated a model of the universe that placed the sun rather than earth at the center of the universe. He laid out his model of the solar system and the path of the planets. -
Mar 6, 1475
Michelangelo
Michelangelo was without doubt one of the most inspirational and talented artists in modern history. At age of 6, Michelangelo was sent to a Florence grammar school but he showed no interest in schooling. His father realized he had no interest in family's financial business and agreed to send him to the painter Ghirlandaio to be trained as an apprentice. He was 13 years old at time. In this fashionable Florentine painter's workshop, Michelangelo learned the technique of Fresco and draftsmanship. -
Feb 7, 1478
Thomas More
More was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statemans, and noted renaissance humanist. More is known for his book Utopia. He died in 1535 after refusing to acknowledge King Henry VII as head of the church of England. -
Apr 6, 1483
Raphael
He became Perugino's apprentice in 1504. Living in Florence from 1504 to 1507, and began painting Madonas in Rome. In 1504 he left his apprenticeship and moved to Florence. He is most famous for Madonnas and for hsi large figure compositions. -
Nov 10, 1483
Martin Luther
Martin Luther, O.S.A., was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, monk, and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. Luther was ordained to the priesthood in 1507. He came to reject several teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church; in particular, he disputed the view on indulgences. -
Jul 2, 1489
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I -
Oct 23, 1491
Ignatius of Loyala
Spanish Basque Catholic priest and theologian. Who co-founded the religious order called the Soceity of Jesus and became its first superior General at Paris in 1541. One of the most influential figures in the Counter Reformation. -
Jul 10, 1509
John Calvin
Calvin was a famous French theologian and a major leader of the Protestant Reformation. He helped popularize the belief in the sovereighty of God in all areas of life. The theological approach advanced by Calvin has come to be known as 'Calvinism.' -
1517
Sale of Indulgences
An indulgence was a payment to the Catholic Church that purchased an exemption from punishment (penance) for some types of sins. -
1542
Inuisition
an ecclesiastical tribunal established by Pope Gregory IX c. 1232 for the suppression of heresy. It was active chiefly in northern Italy and southern France, becoming notorious for the use of torture. In 1542 the papal Inquisition was re-established to combat Protestantism, eventually becoming an organ of papal government. -
1543
Heliocentric Theory
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer who put forth the theory that the Sun is at rest near the center of the Universe, and that the Earth, spinning on its axis once daily, revolves annually around the Sun. This is called the heliocentric, or Sun-centered, system. -
1545
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent (Latin: Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento, in northern Italy), was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described as the embodiment of the Counter-Reformation. -
Feb 15, 1564
Galileo
Galilei provided a number of scientific insights that laid the foundation for future scientists. His investigation of the laws of motion and improvements on the telescope helped further the understanding of the world and universe around him. Galileo has been called the "father of observational atronomy", the "father of modern physics", the "father of the scientific method", and the "father of modern science." -
Apr 26, 1564
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare, often called England's national poet, is considered the greatest dramatist of all time. There are seven years of Shakespeare's life where no records exist, these are called his " lost years." He has made a significant contribution to the English literature through his work on Drama or Plays. -
Isaac Newton
English scientist and mathematician Isaac Newton is most famous for his law of gravitation. Newton was instrumental in the scientific revolution of the 17th century. Newton invented reflecting lenses for telescopes. -
Scientific Method
The scientific method is an empirical method of acquiring knowledge that has characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century. It involves careful observation, applying rigorous skepticism about what is observed, given that cognitive assumptions can distort how one interprets the observation.
