Instructions

This assignment provides you with an opportunity to practice prioritizing known major influences on development of the Renaissance and using specific data to support your choice. What shaped developments in the period 1300–1550 more—the Black Death’s emphasis on the afterlife (the hereafter) or the Renaissance’s emphasis on human achievement (the here and now)?

Lead with your judgment about the most influential viewpoint from beginning to end of the period. This is your thesis. Then, support it with specific examples covering each of the following categories:

• significant individuals (e.g., political or religious leaders, innovators, explorers);
• characteristics of worldview (e.g., philosophy, religion);
• social institutions (e.g., social mores, practices, hierarchies);
• patronage (discuss the patrons, their motives, influence, and resulting products or artifacts);
• the economies (e.g., changes, different economic systems, impact); and
• politics (e.g., forms of governance, power distributions, contests).

You may use specific examples that touch on several of the above categories at once. When writing your essay, use examples to prove your point rather than simply listing the examples.

Your essay must be a minimum of 500 words. Be sure to include an introduction.

You must use two sources written by historians in history books or journals from Online Libraries. All content must follow APA guidelines, including all sources used, which must be cited and referenced according to APA standards.