Renaissance is a French word meaning “rebirth.” It came from those who thought of the Middle Ages as a dark time from which the human spirit had to be awakened. The Renaissance marked a new era in thought and feeling, by which Europe and its institutions were to be transformed in the long run. The revelations that occurred in Italy influenced other countries for at least 200 years. Outside of Italy the Renaissance was more a blend of the old and the new with religion being the most important factor. The Italian and northern Renaissance’s, although both being advancements in style and beliefs, had many faces and events that were different. Humanism is defined as a literary movement that o