Renaissance+-+Politics+and+Economy

//**Answer these questions by typing them and emailing them to halse@melbournecc.org or handwriting your response and turning it in to your teacher. Please write the headings to organize your responses. This should be submitted by the end of class on Friday at the latest.**//

The goal of this activity is to gain a better understanding of the political structures in Italy, the main ruling families in some of the city-states, the role of the Medicis in Florence, how the economy changes as we head into the Renaissance, and why the fall of the Byzantine empire affected the rise of the Renaissance in Italy.

This map above shows the major cities of Italy. Italy was once divided up into several different city-states which each had their own government and way of doing things. The states in the map just above are in bold, the cities have dots beside them. Examine the images above. 1. What were the largest city-states? 2. What city-state was Rome a part of?
 * I. Italy's City-States**

Use [|this site] to answer the following questions 1. How did the Plague effect Europe’s economy? (click “the new middle class and resurgence of cities” at the bottom of the page) 2. What caused people to begin to want luxurious homes and fine art to decorate? 3. What type of jobs did people in the middle-class have? 4. What was essential for someone in the middle-class to have?
 * II. Changes in the Economy**

Use the links below to answer these two questions: 1. Based on these sites about the Medici Family, how would you characterize the Medici family? 2. How did the Medicis influence politics and society in Florence? [|Profiles of the Medici Family] [|Stories of Medici Ambition]
 * III. Learning More about the Medici Family**

Which Renaissance figure are you? []
 * IV. For Fun...**


 * Finished? Please go back and start Part 2 - Machiavelli**