The renaissance

Bubonic Plague begins

Feb 28, 1347

More than 25 million people died from the bubonic plague in Europe in the fourteenth century. The plague microbe, Yersinia pestis, is a straightforward candidate for bioterrorism use. Although early treatment of the plague is curable, its symptoms can occasionally be vague.

The Renaissance Begins

Jan 1, 1350

Art, science, and culture underwent a new transformation throughout the Renaissance. With first the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature, and art, as well as the new discoveries in travel, invention, and style, it altered the way the citizens thought.

Brunelleschi creates Linear Perspective

Jan 1, 1413

To make items in paintings appear realistic, Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi assessed their scale before they were painted. It was incredibly important to find a mathematical representation of space and three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface.

Joan of Arc and the Siege of Orleans

Jan 1, 1429

France's national hero is Joan of Arc. She was a peasant girl who led the French army in a significant victory at Orléans in 1429 that thwarted an English attempt to seize France during the Hundred Years' War. She believed that she was acting under heavenly guidance.

Johann Gutenberg invents the printing press

Jan 1, 1439

The dissemination of knowledge, scientific advancements, and literacy in Renaissance Europe was accelerated by Johann Gutenberg's invention of movable type printing. The Protestant Reformation, which divided the Catholic Church, was greatly aided by the printing revolution.

Cosimo de Medici dies

Jan 1, 1464

One of the primary branches of the Medici dynasty, which ruled Florence from 1434 to 1537, was founded by Cosimo de' Medici. He was a champion of the humanities and the arts and was significant to the Italian Renaissance.

The Spainish Inquistion begins

Jan 1, 1478

A legal organization known as the Spanish Inquisition existed from 1478 and 1834. Although its stated goal was to battle heresy in Spain, in reality it only served to strengthen the monarchy of the newly united Spanish country. Its ruthless tactics caused a great deal of pain and death.

Sandro Botticelli paints Birth of Venus

Jan 1, 1486

Painted as a result of the Platonic Academy, one of the famous pieces of art during the Renaissance. The sexual nature of the painting was pushing the boundaries of what was tolerated during that time.

Columbus discovers the America's

Jan 1, 1492

The discovery of the America's would lead to colonization of them a hundred years later. This colonization would lead to the western world as we know it.

da Vinci paints The Last Supper

Jan 1, 1495

The picture depicts the incredibly dramatic and important period of time immediately following Jesus' declaration to his followers that he knows one of them will betray him. The apostles' emotions are animated and convey dread, fury, and amazement. Technically speaking, this is a masterful use of perspective.