1.

Question

St. Francis of Assisi lived long before the Renaissance began. However, his life and works had a great impact on those who lived in Europe during the “rebirth” of classical philosophy. What did St. Francis's ideas have in common with Greek and Roman philosophy?

Family life was more important than money.

A man's place in the world was determined at birth.

There was great value in observing nature.

It was impossible to understand how natural laws worked.

2.The art of the Renaissance is more realistic in its details than the art of the Middle Ages. What effect is this type of art meant to have on people?

Renaissance art attempted to unite people under a common cause.

Renaissance art seeks to provoke emotions associated with the details in the painting or sculpture.

Renaissance art was used to frighten people into staying true to their religion.

Renaissance art tried to show the Christian religion in the best light possible.

3. Europe was devastated by the bubonic plague. What effect did the Black Death have on the lives of peasants, aside from the tragic loss of life it involved?

Many peasants started new families in order to replace the children they had lost.

Many peasants were able to sieze control of the manors after the lord's family died of the plague.

Many peasants left the manors that had owned them and moved to cities.

Many peasants lost faith in Christianity and converted to Islam.

4. The flagellants began a movement in 1348 that attempted to pay penance for the sins of towns and therefore prevent the plague from traveling there. How was this practice typical of human understanding during the Middle Ages?

Humans looked to the Pope for direction in how to prevent the plague, and the Pope told them to whip themselves.

Humans understood how disease worked even during the Middle Ages.

Humans believed that the Plague could be cured by blood-letting, so they used flagellation to make themselves bleed.

Humans were superstitious of things they didn't understand and tended to blame sin for everything bad that happened.

Answer 1

1. There was great value in observing nature.
   St. Francis of Assisi's appreciation of nature and its beauty aligns with the philosophical focus on the natural world found in Greek and Roman thought, particularly in the context of understanding humanity's relationship with nature.

2. Renaissance art seeks to provoke emotions associated with the details in the painting or sculpture.
   The realism in Renaissance art aimed to engage the viewer's emotions by depicting scenes and figures in a way that reflected real life, often invoking a sense of beauty or contemplation.

3. Many peasants left the manors that had owned them and moved to cities.
   The Black Death caused a labor shortage, which led many peasants to seek better opportunities in urban areas, thereby increasing mobility and altering the social structure of Europe.

4. Humans were superstitious of things they didn't understand and tended to blame sin for everything bad that happened.
   The flagellant movement illustrates the medieval mindset wherein people sought to address their fears and suffering through religious penance, often attributing diseases like the plague to moral failings rather than understanding the actual causes of the illness.