When the new upper class movement, called the Renaissance, occurred in Italy around the 14th century, a revival of the classical forms originally developed by the ancient Greeks and Romans occurred, along with an intensified concern with secular life, interest in humanism, and an assertion of the importance of the individual began. The Renaissance was a period of European history that many dramatic changes happened. It was a period of new inventions and beliefs.
             The Renaissance was drastically different from the middle Ages. During the Middle Ages the church held most of the power and its economy was agriculturally based. Exploration and learning was almost put to a stop. However, during the Renaissance society was transformed into a society increasingly dominated by central political institutions with an urban commercial attitude. During this time people's curiosity overcame their fear and many people started to venture out and explore. New schools and colleges became more and more common as education was more important.
             In many rich Italian cities, such as Florence, Ferrara, Milan, and Venice, the Renaissance began. These cities were very wealthy, with many merchants spending their money on different things, such as painting, education, economy techniques, and new systems of government. These things gave rise to a new type of scholar, the humanist. Humanism were concerned with humankind and culture. They studied various things such as Latin, Greek language, literature and philosophy. Music and mathematics were part of their individual studies to demonstrate their special dignities that a "universal man" would possess.
             The Renaissance gave way to new forms of self-expression such as painting, sculpture and architecture. During the Renaissance, artist were no longer regarded as mere artisans, as they had been to the medieval past, but for the first time
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