The study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome led to an intellectual movement known as Renaissance Humanism. Humanists informed themselves in the liberal arts, which included grammar, rhetoric, poetry, moral philosophy, and history. All which were works of Greek and Roman authors. Petrarch (1304-1374) was a well known humanist. Some even consider him to be the father of Italian Renaissance humanism. Petrarch felt that the Middle Ages was a time of darkness. This idea, “promoted the mistaken belief that medieval culture was ignorant of classical antiquity.” (315). In the beginning of the 15th century the humanist movement developed in Florence. Petrarch felt that the intellectual life should be described as one of solitude. He and humanists like him, “rejected family and a life of action in the com

Education was highly supported by Christian humanists. They established new editions of classics and the Bible and they also worked with the books by some church fathers.

Humanists also were influenced by Roman and Greek Historians. They were given credit for many of the writings in history.

“With their belief in the ability of human beings to reason and improve themselves, the Northern humanists felt that through education in the sources of classical and especially Christian antiquity, they could instill a true piety on an inward religious church and society.” (337).

The wish was to develop all parts of the mind and body to its fullest. Most of these studies included, “history, moral philosophy, eloquence, letters, poetry, mathematics, astronomy, and music.” (318). Limited amounts of children from the lower classes were give the opportunity of education, however, most of the children from the higher classes attended the humanist schools. Females were not a major part of the population at these schools. The few that did attend usually studied the classics and were taught a small amount of history, dance, and voice and to appreciate poetry. “They were discouraged from learning mathematics and rhetoric. In educational treatise of the time, religion and morals were taught to hold the first place in the education of the Christian lady.”(318).

Some topics in this essay:
Roman Republic, Pablo Vergerio, Greek Hebrew, Utopia Greek, Pope Christian/Northern, Roman Cicero, Northern/Christian Humanism, Middle Ages, Praise Folly, Christian Knight, liberal arts, christian humanists, bigger impact, northern humanists, humanist schools, christian/northern humanists bigger, renaissance humanism, society change, reform church, christian/northern humanists, reform program, humanists bigger impact, bigger impact reformation,