Question

In your own words, explain how the social structure of society shifted during the Renaissance period. Your answer should be at least 250 words.

Answer 1

During the Renaissance period, Florence was a city-state and it was ruled by powerful families. There were four classes that characterized the social classes. There were; the nobility, merchants, middle class, and lower class. The city state system was more democratic then any other systems in Europe in this era because the status was determined by occupation.

The nobility of Italy owned most of the land and wielded power over the city. They had conflicts with merchants, who were the second-highest ranking class. The city-states of Italy were bustling centers of trade and commerce, which allowed people to gain wealth through trades such as manufacturing, banking and clothes-making. These trades were government-protected jobs called guilds. This created an opportunity for social-climbing, which made the nobility uncomfortable.

The middle classes of Florence were mainly shopkeepers and skilled laborers, such as masons. The lowest class consisted of unskilled laborers. They did not have job security and often had unsafe working conditions.

One of the most well-known families throughout Renaissance Europe was the Medici family from Florence. The Medici family were patrons of many great artists and musicians of the Renaissance, which helped the culture of Italy flourish during that era. Most of the great Italian artists descended from merchants and craftsmen.

Answer 2

After the Middle Ages, a new era of italian writers, artists and thinkers who tried to revive the social structure of the ancient Greece and Rome emerged. This era was called The Renaissance  which  sought  to generate works for people as equal as those created in the Middle Ages (The latter considered by these italian artists as the pinnacle of civilization). For that reason it was called The Renaissance.  

Eventhough, the origin of The Renaissance was in Italy it had a great impact on European society. This era focused on the individual, reason, beauty, and secular values that is why it is also known as Humanism.

During, the Renaissance  period,  the society was composed of four social classes: the nobles, the merchants, the tradesmen and the unskilled workers. The first ones served as military, authority’s advisors and politicians. They were in charged to control and live on large states outsides the city walls.  

The second, the merchants gained wealth in industries like wool processing, ship building and banking. They used to get married with nobles families and became sponsors of great artist in order to gain public favors.  

The third class, the tradesmen, were the crafts employees and shopkeepers. They belonged to organizations in charged of setting rules for memberships, establishing standards of quality, among others.  

Finally, the unskilled workers represented the lowest class of the The Renaissance. They were dependent on their employers and didn’t have job protection. In case of disobedience or rules violations their salary was withheld.