The Enlightenment

1. Take notes or create a chart that describes how the philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke each view:

	Thomas Hobbes	John Locke
Human nature?	Miserable state of war à Obey those who are in power, otherwise there would be a state of civil war – the authority helps us attain peace by having laws/regulations à Do not treat others in ways we would not have them treat us à without the power of the state, human cannot survive	Humankind is God’s property – one doesn’t have the liberty to destroy himself or others of his kind
What role the government should play in people’s lives?	Protect its people; king cannot be overthrown	Act in the favor of those who are governed + protect private property – can be overthrown
What type of government would he favor?	Absolutism – one is in charge of everything so that there aren’t disputes over different decisions – which inevitably leads to conflict/war	Republic/Democracy

2. Define John Locke's notions of Social Contract and tabula rasa.

• Social contract – legitimate government is instituted by the consent of those who are governed; those who make this agreement transfer to the government their right of executing the law and justice. This is the power that they give to the government, which makes the justice system of a government legitimate.

• Locke believed that human mind was a clean sheet of paper – called “tabula rasa” – which means that an infant knows nothing when he/she is born, and his/her ideas develop from experience.

3. What historical figures or modern day characters can you think of that would align to Thomas Hobbes description of leadership? Who would align with John Locke's description of leadership?

Adolf Hitler, Hosni Mubarak, Charles I, and many Chinese kings would align to Thomas Hobbes description of leadership because they believed in absolutism. They held absolute power, or at least attempted to, and gave themselves the power to control their people the way they wanted instead of making laws and enforcing justice in the favor of the people they governed. They protected their nations in protective ways that they thought were right, but most of the time those didn’t appeal to the citizens. In contrast, many U.S. presidents would align with John Locke’s description of leadership because they stick to God’s morals and lead the country under laws that are voted by the people. They act in the favor of the people governed, and therefore they can be overthrown if they do a bad job.

Development of Constitutional Monarchy

1. Elizabeth I dies
2. Stuart family begins to rule England for the first time
3. Puritans want to purify the Church of England
4. Charles I becomes king
5. Charles I needs to increase taxes, Parliament forces him to sign the Petition of Right
6. Charles I dissolves Parliament
7. The Long Parliament meets and executes Charles I's chief ministers
8. Charles I leads an army into the House of Commons to arrest those causing trouble in Parliament
9. Civil War breaks out in England between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers
10. Oliver Cromwell successfully captures Charles I
11. Charles I is beheaded
12. Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector and declares England a Commonwealth
13. Cromwell attacks the Irish
14. Charles II becomes king
15. James II becomes king of England
16. William and Mary sign the English Bill of Rights

 2. Why do you think absolutism did not manage to rise and thrive in England when it rose and flourished in kingdoms like France, Russia, and Spain?

Because the English Parliament was extremely powerful, consisting of people who had high authority and voice in society. The Parliament beheaded Charles I and declared him public enemy – this event had come to remark the Parliament of England as a very powerful unit, in which it only worked to enforce justice. Many of the Parliament’s ideals were also appealing to the people.

3. Compare and contrast the ruler-subject relationship for one of the two pairs:

b) William & Mary of England and Peter the Great of Russia

The only thing they had in common was that they were all leaders of the nations. However, William and Mary had to sign the Bill of Rights in order to be crowned. They didn’t have absolute power because they were in a way controlled by the Parliament. They had to recognize certain degrees that the Parliament proposed, including:

1. Parliament was to meet frequently.
2. The crown retained the right to veto bills and to pardon whomever he or she chose.
3. Freedom of speech was guaranteed.
4. The crown was not allowed to interfere in the selection of members of Parliament.
5. The crown was to keep no standing army without the consent of Parliament.
6. People were to be free from cruel and unusual punishments, and they were guaranteed freedom from excessive bail.

Therefore they had to perform in favor of the Parliament and the people, in which that kept them fairly just. In contrast, Peter the Great of Russia acceded to power when he was only 10 (after the rule of his grandfather Tsar Michael Romanov). Though he was forced to rule jointly with his brother Ivan and sister Sofia at first, when Ivan died and Sofia was exiled, Peter the Great had all the power to himself. Therefore, he was ruthless and violent – he did what he wanted because no one was above him and there was no one to consult him; he could kill as many people who went against him as he wanted. Also, he was versatile at many fields, in which it provided him a solid power to control his people.

Proliferation Of Protestanism

Mary & Lisa

The Renaissance - Italy

Two reasons why the Renaissance started and blossomed in Italy were that first, Italy was composed of wealthy city-states such as Rome, Venice, Florence, etc., and families from the middle class who stimulated the economy to prosper; second, Italy was the center of the Roman Empire where the Church was located. The Black Death had caused many deaths during the late Medieval time and hence a new middle class, as bankers, merchants, and tradespeople, emerged with new demand for goods and services and therefore had come to prosper Italy. People from neighboring regions also came here to trade because of its diverse market of goods as well as art and other things. The middle-class desired to show off their wealth by indicating their style in fashion, houses, food, and reputation; which caused them to promote education among the youth and sponsor great artists/architects/merchants/explorers to showcase paintings, buildings, etc. Last but not least, since the Church was located in Italy, it was provided with solid financially support from the Pope. With its prosperous historical legacies, wealthy families, and the Church's support, Italy was the perfect place for the Renaissance to start.

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Michelangelo - Pieta

a) Michelangelo - Pieta (sculpture). It was sculpted in Rome when Michelangelo was about 22 (1498 - 1499). It is currently displayed at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

b)

c) Full name: Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564)

DOB: March 6th, 1475 (in Caprese, a small village close to Florence)

His father was a magistrate but he as a teen was apprenticed to a Florentine painter named Domenico Ghirlandajo. However later on, he was inspired by another teacher, the sculptor Donatello, who later presented him an opportunity to move into the palace of Lorenzo the Magnificent, the powerful ruler of the Medici family. There, he studied classical sculpture in the Medici gardens and was exposed to prominent poets, scholars, and learned Humanists for 19 years. He also attained the permission of the Catholic Church to study cadavers for insight into anatomy. This experience had enabled to be the leader of the Italian Renaissance; he had later relocated in Rome and produced various masterpieces including Battle of the Centaurs, painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the David, the Cupid, the Petia, etc. He also was engaged by Pope Paul III as principle architect to supervise the building of St. Peters. Although being a painter, a sculptor, an architect, and a poet himself, Michelangelo never married and lived a life with few friends. His temper and impulsive attitude alienated many people who had known him.

Fun facts: He lived to see the publication of two biographies about his life, written by Giorgio Vasari and Ascanio Condivi. He had also worked with Leonardo da Vici.

d)The Pieta means Pity or Compassion. It represents Mary sorrowfully holding and contemplating the dead body of Christ. It is made out of marble and is composed of intricate details of the flesh, composition, and expression. The statue was commissioned by the French cardinal Jean de Billheres, who was a representative in Rome; it was made for the cardinal's funeral monument. The theme was influenced by Northern origin, popular in France but not Italy. Michelangelo's interpretation of the Pieta is unique and different from the precedents for he introduced Mary with a youthful and calm expression even though holding the dead body of Christ; the usual depiction of art back then was pain. He had finished carving it single-handedly in less than two years, producing a masterpiece that balances the Renaissance ideals of classical beauty with naturalism. By presenting the divine beauty of the statue, Michelangelo wanted to convince people that not only pain resembles redemption but also the absolute earthly beauty - which is perfect by human standards and therefore divine.

e) The sculpture demonstrates Anatomy, Perspective, Classicism, Youthfulness, Composition, and Religion. It scores a 6/9 on the list of Nine Characteristics of Renaissance art.

Anatomy = it shows the intricate details of the sculpture (veins, bones, position, facial expression, etc.)

Perspective = It is 3-D and can be viewed as different angles with different feelings and interpretations

Classicism = It portrays Mother Mary and Christ - who lived during the Roman time and dressed accordingly to its culture.

Youthfulness = It shows youthfulness on Mother Mary's face

Composition = It has a great composition which points the attention to Mary's eyes contemplating Christ's dead body

Religion = It portrays Mother Mary holding Christ's dead body after his crucifixion.

Sources:
http://www.moodbook.com/history/renaissance/michelangelo-pieta.html
http://www.saburchill.com/history/biblio/009.html
http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/michelangelo-pieta.html
http://www.biography.com/people/michelangelo-9407628?page=3
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Michelangelo's_Pieta_5450_cropncleaned_edit-2.jpg

 

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Being a Child in the Renaisance

Being born a peasant in a family of eight, I'm always expected to work on the fields as soon as I get out of bed every day. It has become such a routine for me in a way that boredom has just become an ordinary emotion. My dad died when he was 30, leaving my mom single-handedly raise the six of us. Two of my siblings grew ill and passed away at a young age, so it's not a happy story from the beginning. I mean, life can be so unfair! I have been observing life around here and noticed that we as children have no rights at all! We're always expected to dress and act like adults; based on our background we're expected to do certain tasks that our parents have  previously planned for us. At least I feel better still having my mother, for I have a friend who is raised in an orphanage because was born to a slave mother.

Today as any other ordinary day, I woke up and hurried myself to the field. However on the way, I've encountered a merchant from down south. He asked me for directions and I gladly helped him. We talked a little bit more and then for some reason, he invited me to come with him, giving the reason that I can "accompany him for the day" since he didn't know this area that well. He offered to pay me so why not took the job, right?

He told me stories about where he comes from and what it's like to be a merchant. He said that he takes his job seriously and all, yet he spares some time for traveling and learning different cultures. He had just arrived here yesterday so now he was trying to browse about the city to see what it could offer. In appreciation for his eagerness, I attentively took him to famous locations and introduced him our local special goods. I also told him about my family and how us children have no rights; his reaction was priceless. Another interesting story he told me, about how children are raised differently from where he's from: children are meant to play and shielded from the worries of the world; they are to work hard at their studies to prepare for their future. Education is extremely important there, and noble children often go to school four to six hours a day; they attend university at the age of fifteen. At school, they are trained under a disciplinary and harsh environment. Furthermore, they are also taught the ways of warrior and courtier, which includes riding, swordmanship, dancing, and the arts of war. The sad thing is, it's not that much different for peasants so I guess I was destined to be born this way.

Another thing I found extremely intriguing is that noble children there marry at an early age with the purpose of gaining power and prosperity for their family and produce heirs to continue dynasties. In the end, I guess we are all born to do certain tasks; tasks that are already planned beforehand. If you're lucky enough to be born a noble, your life will be luxurious - yet it takes a greater endurance of training and hardwork. If you're born a peasant than all you'll do is do field work or take care of the households until you marry and have kids and pass away. If you're born an artist, then you're especially trained to be a good one at a young age. If you're born to merchant parents than you're especially trained to be a good merchant at a young age, also. All children are expected to do what their parents want them to, they have no choice at all!
Source:
Children of the Renaissance