History 207: Renaissance and Reformations in Europe, 1400-1650

This course traces the development of European thought and culture from the early Italian Renaissance to the beginnings of the Scientific Revolution. We will explore not only such high cultural elements as philosophy and science but also the development of popular culture, the impact of print, and the reception of religious ideas by ordinary Europeans. Among the topics to be considered are the Italian and northern “renaissances,” the development of Reformation thought, the use of vernacular languages, and the theory and practice of science.