Renaissance, Origin of Modern Times

Modern times originated in Italy in the 14th century during the period known as the Renaissance. A rich development of Western civilization marking the transition from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance refers to a "rebirth," or rediscovery, by scholars (humanists) of Greco-Roman culture. The period prior to the Renaissance, the High Middle Ages, was marked by relative political stability, economic expansion, wide contact with other cultures, and a flourishing urban civilization. However, the High Middle …

…classical Greco-Roman culture provided the world with great treasures. The people, inspired by the need for reform, abandoned the Middle Ages and entered into a time of great intellectual, social, political, religious, and economic reform. The humanistic development of individualism, the dramatic change in political ideas and construction, and the introduction of capitalism remained powerful concepts in modern society that originated in the Renaissance. Without question, the Renaissance civilization was the foundation of modern times.