Renaissance the renaissance was a cultural awakening for western Europeans from about 1350 to 1600. The renaissance began in the city-states of Italy first. It was a continuation of the middle ages, but it also signaled the beginning of modern times also. From this Europeans developed new attitudes about themselves and the world around them. Italy had largely avoided the economic crisis in the late middle ages.
             Italian scholars improved there understandings of Greek and Latin, they studied old manuscripts and the copied the classical writing style. This led to an intellectual movement called humanism that focused on secular, or worldly themes rather then on the religious ideas that had concerned medieval thinkers. Humanist accepted classical belief and wanted to make there own society. The most important belief was individualism. Individualism was an emphasis on the dignity and worth of an individual person. Another belief was human improvements; humanist thought that they should develop their talents by being in activities like politics, sports, and arts.
             Humanists believed that education would help people improve themselves. Humanists opened schools that taught the humanities Greek, Latin, History and philosophy these subjects were taught in ancient times. These schools were very popular and helpful for the humanists. They also learned new forms of literature written in the vernacular that focused on their personal feelings. For example they read, Francesco Petrarca. He wrote sonnets and short poems that expressed his love for a special some one called Laura. She was a woman who died during the Black Death. Petrarca's friend Giovanni Boccaccio in the Decameron wrote about young people who tell stories to get the attention from the black deaths horrors.
             Humanist scholars influenced more than just literature. With independent thinking, humanist scholars began to challenge traditions, assumptions and institutions. They made ...