THE RENAISSANCE IN WORLD HISTORY PERSPECTIVE

ULSTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE- JUNE 2011- DR. THOMAS MOUNKHALL-

MOUNKHALL@AOL.COM

RENAISSANCE CANON IN EUROPEAN AND U.S. HISTORY

• 1. First Secular Political Theory in Western European History- Machiavelli- c. 1515c.e.

• 2. Man as the Center of Attention-Humanism- Vitruvian Man- Da Vinci- c. 1500 c.e.

• 3. Humanist Architecture- Brunelleschi’s Dome at Duomo, Florence- c. 1430 c.e.

• 4. Beginning of Modern Western European Realistic Art- Michelangelo- Pieta- c. 1530c.e.

WORLD HISTORY PERSPECTIVE

• How Does the Renaissance Fit into the Global Context of the Early Modern Period?

• 1. Hindu-Arabic Numbers• 2. Long Distance Trade- Italian City States• 3.Crusades• 4. Mongol Yam and Ottomans in

Constantinople• 5. Ocean Exploration- Portuguese and Spanish

RENAISSANCE IN NUEVA ESPANA

• 1. Influence of Vitruvius- c. 30 b.c.e.• 2. Influence of Alberti- 1452 c.e.• 3. Influence of Pienza, Tuscany- c. 1460 c.e.

SANTO DOMINGO OAXACA CITY C. 1660 c.e.

• 1. Shell niches• 2. Vitruvian- Alberti Column Proportion• 3. Roman Barrel Vault• 4. Roman Arches- Side Chapels

ZOCALO, OAXACA CITY-c. 1550 c.e.

• 1. Cathedral• 2. Governor’s Palace• 3. Colonnade• 4. Open Space for Human Activity

MENTAL MAPS OF THE WORLD

• 1. Pre-Columbus Flat Map- c.1470 c.e.• 2. Post Columbus Renaissance Globe- c. 1510

c.e.

CONCLUSIONS• 1. Renaissance- Very Important in Western European and U.S. History• 2. World Historians See the Renaissance in the Context of Contemporary

Global Events• 3. Renaissance in Global Context has Examples of Many Central World

History Themes: Long Distance Trade, Cross-Regional War, Cultural Diffusion, Imperialism, Exploration, Colonialism

• 4. Lecture has Presented a Polycentric View of the Renaissance Rather than a Eurocentric One- Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia and Latin America all Major Players in the Narrative in Addition to Western Europe

• 5. Renaissance was Directly Influenced by Many Events Which Occurred Outside of Western Europe- Rise of Islam, Silk Roads, Mongol Empire, Crusades, Ottoman Empire, Voyages of DaGama and Columbus

• 6. Renaissance had Major Influence in Nueva Espana

Recommended Readings

• Abu- Lughod- Beyond European Hegemony• Brotton- The Renaissance Bazaar• Crosby- The Measure of Reality

Discussion