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Jul 20, 1304
Petrarch
Petrarch was a famous Italian poet, scholar, and humanist in 1304. He wrote love poems to an idealized beloved, Laura. His writings helped influence the Renaissance style of poetry, flowering of lyric poetry. -
1395
Johan Gutenberg
Johannes Gutenberg was an inventor during the Renaissance age. One of his inventions was a machine called the printing press. The printing press renovated the way people learn in Europe. Books were produced more rapidly and in many different languages so that the common folk could learn; all because of one Johannes Gutenberg. -
1395
Printing Revolution
The Printing Revolution began when Johan Gutenberg invented the printing press. Before this invention, books had to be hand-copied over and over, so there weren't many available to read. But, after the printing press many books were produced in a relatively short amount of time and it spread the availability of books all over Europe. It helped spread knowledge because now the common-folk could get their hand on a book to read. -
1400
Humanism
Humanism is the belief of emphasis on perfecting things in the human world and enjoying Earthly things. This idea is what led people to begin to question teachings of the Church and led people to innovate sciences and philosophy. Humanism is important because it is what made the Renaissance such a historical time period. -
Apr 15, 1452
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci is known to many as the "ideal Renaissance Man". He was an artist, inventor, architect, military engineer, and draftsman. His ideas and works influenced many artists and led him to be one of the leading figures in the Italian Renaissance. -
Oct 28, 1466
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus was a famous scholar during the Renaissance period. He produced many books including several Bibles produced in the vernacular. Erasmus exposed many abuses of the Church, helped revive learning for the common people, and rescued Theology from the Schoolmen. -
Feb 29, 1468
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III was the leader of the Catholic Church and one of the last Renaissance popes. He led the Counter-Reformation effort. This led to the Catholic church addressing the corruption within and tried to eradicate the Protestant religion. -
May 3, 1469
Machiavelli
Machiavelli was a Florentine diplomat during the Italian Renaissance. He is most known for his book he wrote called: The Prince. This book was used as a "guideline" for leaders to use during this time frame based off of how Machiavelli thought these Renaissance leaders should rule. -
May 21, 1471
Albrecht Durer
Albrecht Durer was a German artist during the Northern Renaissance. He is most known for his etchings on metals that he made. His works displayed realism and perspective and helped revolutionize the way German artists made their pieces. -
Feb 19, 1473
Copernicus
Copernicus was a famous scientist and astronomer during the Scientific Revolution. Through his studies he established the idea of a heliocentric universe, in which the sun was the center of the universe, not Earth. This shook the scientific world, and soon led people to question the sciences that the Church had been teaching. Because of Copernicus more people began to question the sciences they had always accepted as truth. -
Mar 6, 1475
Michelangelo
Michelangelo was a painter, sculptor, architect, and poet during the Italian Renaissance. He is considered as one of the most famous artists of the Renaissance. Many of his works such as the paintings in the Sistine Chapel, and his sculpture "David" influenced many other artists to aim for realism and accuracy in their own works. -
1478
Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition was established during the Protestant Reformation to fight heresy in Spain. The Inquisition's goal was to eradicate Protestants in Spain through torture, conversion, and burning at the stake. This event is important because it is one of the Church's efforts to destroy the Protestant religion, even if it meant that some innocent people would die. -
Feb 7, 1478
Thomas More
Thomas More was a key counselor to Henry VIII during his reign of England. He is most well known for his book Utopia. His book led to the idea of a utopia, a perfect political society, and the discussion of how to achieve such a state. -
Apr 6, 1483
Raphael
Raphael was considered a master painter and architect during the Italian Renaissance. He is best known for his Maddonas and for his large figure compositions in the Vatican. His works helped pave the way for the Renaissance and influenced other artist's to try to model their works off of the way he used realism and perspective in his works. -
Nov 10, 1483
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German theologian and religious reformer in the 16th century. He is most well known for his book the 95 Theses that was published addressing the wrongdoings of the Catholic Church. This helped lead to religious reform and the making of a new religion, Lutherism. -
Jul 2, 1489
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was the first Protestant Bishop of Canterbury and an advisor to King Henry VIII. He is responsible for creating much of what makes up the Church of England. He is important because he created the English Bible, drew up the Book of Common Prayer, and composed a litany that is still used today. -
1491
Ignatius of Loyala
Ignatius of Loyala was a religious man during the Protestant Reformation. He is most well known for the founding of the Jesuit Order. This Order worked on the principles of poverty and obedience to the Pope. Through his work he spread the Catholic faith and worked to bring others to accept the Catholic religion. -
Jun 28, 1491
Henry VIII
Henry VIII was the King during the Northern Renaissance and the English Reformation. Because of a dispute with the Pope, he created his own Church. This was known as the Church of England and he is the man that created and started the English Reformation. -
1504
Heliocentric Theory
The Heliocentric Theory was created by Copernicus during the Renaissance period. It stated that the Sun is the center of the universe and the Earth and planets orbited around the sun. This differed with the Church's views of an Earth centered universe. This theory led to new astronomical discoveries and helped map the universe. -
1517
Sale of Indulgences
The selling of Indulgences began when Pope Leo X offered forgiveness for sins and less time in purgatory in exchange for ducats. This was incredibly against the rules of the Catholic Church but everyone overlooked it because it made the church money. This event is important because it is what triggered Martin Luther to write his 95 Theses and led to the Protestant Reformation. -
1545
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the most important movement of the Catholic Counter-Reformation efforts. This council corrected the corruption in the Church but it also condemned the teachings of Protestants. This event is important because it corrected the corruption within the Church and it led Catholics to a more unified effort to end the Protestant Reformation. -
Apr 26, 1564
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was a famous poet, and play writer during the Northern Renaissance. He is known as one of the best dramatists of all time. Shakespeare invented many words for the English language, and his work revolutionized the way plays are made. -
Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes was a well known philosopher and mathematician. He is known famously as the "father of philosophy" for defining a starting point to existence. Without Rene Descartes philosophy wouldn't be like it is today, and Rene Descartes's thoughts innovated philosophy. -
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I is one of the most well known Queens of England. Elizabeth helped lead England into the Elizabethan Era. This time frame led to England becoming a major political power. She also created a settlement between Protestants and Catholics in England and ended its crippling internal conflict. -
Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton was a famous physicist and mathmetician during the Scientific Revolution. He is most well known for establishing the idea of modern physics we know today. Because of Isaac Newton physics is what it is today, and it led to more people studying and testing physics concepts. Without him, we wouldn't understand the Laws of Gravity and other physics concepts like we do today.
