Using the information from the documents in Part A and your knowledge from the Renaissance Unit, write a well-developed paragraph for the Essential Question below:
How do the actions and decisions of people effect change?
Your paragraph should include a claim, factual evidence to support the claim, and interpretations of the evidence that explain how it supports the claim. Use evidence from at least 2-3 sources. If possible, include additional outside information based on your knowledge of the time period.
Renaissance Document Based Question Assessment (DBQ)
On Thursday, November 4 you will begin Part A of the assessment. The assessment is based on the accompanying documents. It is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents. Read each source carefully, making certain you understand the vocabulary as well as the overall message of each. As you analyze the documents, take into account the source of each document and any point of view that may be presented in the documents.
Historical Context
Roughly between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Renaissance began in Italy. People were looking outside the Church for answers to their questions. People wanted to find out more about their world by discovering it. This humanist attitude of inquiry was a ‘rebirth’ of what was common to classical scholars from ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. The Renaissance completely changed European life, affecting various aspects such as the art, science, and beliefs of the time.
Part A: Source Analysis
Source 1: Print Shop
From the Mary Evan's Library. An engraving of a printing shop (1598).
Source 2: Gutenberg Bible (circa 1455)
Source 3: Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Fresco (1498)
Source 4: Article on The Last Supper by Shelley Esaak
Why Is The Last Supper Composition Remarkable?
"First, because the disciples are all displaying very human, identifiable emotions. "The Last Supper" had certainly been painted before. Leonardo's version, though, was the first to depict real people acting like real people."
Source 5:Excerpt from a Letter
From a letter by Italian scholar Marsilio Ficino to Paul of Middleburg (1492)
"This century, like a golden age, has restored light to the arts, which almost disappeared; poetry, painting, sculpture, architecture and music. And all this in Florence. We are achieving what had been honoured amongst the ancient people, but which has been almost forgotten since then."
Source 6: Quote from The Prince
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (1513-17)
(Machiavelli wrote this book in a bid to regain favour with the Medici – it is believed that ‘the prince’ refers to the Medici family members.)
"A prince should show that he can encourage those who have talents in the arts. He should reward those who improve in any way his city of his country. At suitable times of the year he should entertain the people with festivals or shows."
Source 7:Luther's 95 Theses
The Theses by Martin (1498)
21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
