The Renaissance: Was it a Thing? - Crash Course World History #22

In which John Green teaches you about the European Renaissance. European learning changed the world in the 15th and 16th centuries, but was it a cultural revolution, or an evolution? We'd argue that any cultural shift that occurs over a couple of hundred years isn't too overwhelming to the people who live through it. In retrospect though, the cultural bloom in Europe during this time was pretty impressive. In addition to investigating what caused the Renaissance and who benefitted from the changes that occurred, John will tell you just how the Ninja Turtles got mixed up in all this.
Chapters:
Introduction: The Renaissance 00:00
Themes in Renaissance Art 1:07
Humanist Scholars of the Renaissance Era 1:48
When was the Renaissance? 2:52
Why the Renaissance Happened in Italy 3:23
Florentine Textiles 5:08
How Islamic Scholars Helped Create the European Renaissance 6:30
An Open Letter to Copernicus 7:17
Why the Renaissance Didn't Happen 8:12
Credits 10:56
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[@Yam-jt3vw]

Social studies teacher: we're studying the Renaissance because it was an important era and Also social studies teacher: sends us this video

[@kemchobhenchod]

@Sera van der Vorm This is how I would teach the class. Just know he was trying to connect with you guys and had a deep love for what he was doing.

[@lukezotos]

yeah thats weird

[@xiomaramartinez.]

Whos here bc of online school....

[@auroraaawashere8855]

me and i lowkey wanna die 💀

[@auroraaawashere8855]

me and i lowkey wanna die 💀

[@alaqmarchawalwala2367]

anyone scrolling through the comments just to see what type of comments would be on a history video?

[@cincinnati-ishmusic4382]

yeah

[@midknightshade330]

Yeah

[@Somedude-ok2tt]

Maybe

[@MightyCole1]

me

[@leokim2600]

@Guillermo Aguirre Almazán language

[@georgekirk7170]

I've been learning from this guy for years and I just found out my mom teaches his daughter

[@moumitasrivastava6446]

🤣

[@victoriah9421]

I would say that the creation of the printing press was a huge part of the Renaissance and really made it a 'thing'. This allowed the dissemination of ideas directly to the general population, something unheard of in the medieval period, and paved the way for radical religious reform and the growth of Protestantism.

[@assooya]

"Mario, Luigi come outside. The Renaissance is here!" 😂😂💔

[@adamfrisk956]

It's-a me, Reneissance!

[@baykkus]

So long Dark Ages!

[@jackiec3332]

Get-a-ready to move your fingers

[@thegreatjay1245]

@corsaro nero don't troll be jerk

[@sukanyadev7526]

i actually laughed when john said that :D

[@emoore29681]

"I want to be a professor of the Dark Arts!" Alright, Quirrel...

[@wafflenixon1767]

Emilie Moore this is an underrated comment. Sorry I’m late, just like watching this series.

[@2007lmrvl]

Ah yes. The only professor who had Voldy literally on the back of his head.

[@whyhatholman3783]

Dangerous job, defense against the dark arts.

[@2007lmrvl]

Yes, yes. Very dangerous indeed.

[@sagesheahan6732]

In other words. The Renaissance is an era? Not an event.

[@dorkmax7073]

THE VOICE OF STAN. HE EXISTS

[@TheWolfgangGrimmer]

+Dominic Sosa He hosts a course himself eventually (IP).

[@schappiness]

I don't think many commentators here grasped John Green's rhetorical statement. I don't think he literally meant the Renaissance did not happen, but used the statement to "emphasize" his point that the idea of the Renaissance as a clearly designated period and a landmark turning point as we usually teach in school is misleading. It is also true that our Western history (art history together, my field) hasn't yet fully incorporated broader cultural interactions in its granting of credits. His lecture is entertaining while has some depth to it. good combination.

[@General12th]

+Soo C That's the right idea. The Renaissance was a "thing" just like how the United States is a "thing". In reality, it's a lot more complicated than that.

[@FroehligGirlz]

I'm convinced childbirth has been subjected to the same over-classification. It's not the monumental event people think it is. You still have a baby attached to you, it's just attached at a different point, and somewhat more loosely (at least until teeth).

[@agilemind6241]

Alternatively the Renaissance was a "thing" like the "Summer of Love" was a thing.

[@yinghaoyu3686]

The day he posted the video is just few day after i came to US. I didn't understand a word back then, and now i'm using it to study for exam. Thanks John!

[@semregob3363]

I want to thank CrashCourse for giving Muslim scholars their due credit that they deserve and are often overlooked, it's really weird at this point to see western media not so hostile to Islam and Muslims. thanks John Green, Stan, and the wonderful team. from Sudan.

[@IqnisX]

Your point about our projection of a false narrative upon history is EXTREMELY accurate. However, defining the Renaissance as "not a thing" because of the fact that it seems to be a series of many, interdependent "things" that happened over centuries and therefore built up as a "sequence", making the Renaissance "not a thing", is debatable. When you see into any event of history, into any "thing" (a war, for example), it often becomes evident that the "thing" is not actually just one single sequence, but is in fact a series of many interdependent elements, all happening on a microscopic scale. The difference with the Renaissance is that it is a "thing" that happened with interdependent elements happening on a MACROSCOPIC scale. So the Renaissance is not one flowing event in history, as it was previously perceived to be. But it is an event, like events such as war, that happened as a result of elements happening on a microscopic scale to create something that we can observe on a macroscopic scale.

[@chrisuser9862]

noooooooooooo stop it STOP ;-; NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

[@fugu_3467]

I must say I think this to be highly thought filling in the way your thoughts fill on this subject relating to thoughts.

[@charx225]

The Dark Arts are a dangerous profession

[@charx225]

...not some guy's peaceful negotiation

[@charx225]

He was a real Renaissance rat.

[@charx225]

Mario! Luigi! Cone outside! The Renaissance is happening!

[@charx225]

We make it important because it matters to us now! It gave us the ninga turtles!

[@charx225]

This show is so quotable

[@DogeingFlem]

anyone watching in quarantine

[@billysmith3399]

yes sir! good luck on the test mate.

[@sadsam4569]

Me

[@1ZenitsuandAkanefan]

Me

[@Bora-uu6im]

i have a final ):

[@justinhyatt9574]

For school

[@akap]

I came for Machiavelli. I realized he wasn't in the video. The search continues!

[@culturehub2628]

JudaTheIsm you came on this video thinking you would listen to Tupacs album? What?

[@culturehub2628]

JudaTheIsm :).......

[@veronikanagevica9094]

that comment just made my day

[@clairec3925]

JudaTheIsm ThePrince. I loved the excerpt of the book I read.

[@mmmmmmmm1942]

Thanks for not letting me waste my time hahah

[@TheFireflyGrave]

'So was the renaissance a thing? Not really, it was a lot of mutually interdependent things that occurred over centuries.' Couldn't the same be said for any era?

[@SamandeepSingh]

I think he deconstructs that as well like deconstructing why the dark ages shouldn't be called the dark ages because they weren't that dark for the common people. The word Renaissance has implications beyond just identifying a time period like the Middle Ages or idk the Ancient times or whatever. And this implication is that people were collectively going through a process of rebirth but if that wasn't the case for almost all the people living in that era and just the chosen few that could afford to go through that process, is it really its own era?

[@IAmFitEnough]

My teacher had never heard about John Green before. A few days ago we started on Renaissance, and so I gave her this link, and she was really impressed. May God bless your soul, John.

[@Lonewolf-dy5yb]

I argue that the renaissance was a thing, if it wasn't, there wouldn't be a video about it

[@emilyconcannon]

I want to play “some Venetian guys international trade agreement “. Lol

[@BurnheadLP]

civ 5 with venice there you go

[@milktea8773]

Me toooo

[@orake84]

How anyone can dislike a Crash Course video is beyond me. You guys do an amazing job at breaking down the most complex topics to easy to understand, relatable concepts. Thank you!

[@TheXPERT891]

So... anyone taking an exam tomorrow?

[@weasellikesnoodles]

If I get a 3, I'll be content. If I get a 4, I'll be happy. If I get a 5, I'll believe in god.

[@Benry11_]

yep

[@krischellannefaust1175]

I’m having it IN AN HOUR

[@fatimajatta9820]

me lol and i am dreading it

[@abdelr5945]

hello and yes btw its 3 questions but in total its 60 marks :(

[@Vee-yr6vm]

"Mario, Luigi! Come outside, the Renaissance is here!" That killed me.

[@adityasundar324]

Europeans: Earth is not the center of the universe Indians: Such slow learners

[@asifsultan2828]

Is there any good playlist on indian history?? Maybe not this good but not too boring or biased, i mean

[@muditashukla]

@@asifsultan2828 Regarding Indian history, always prefer books. I've tried podcasts and stuff but they're always part of a larger argument in favour of some premeditated assumption.

[@asifsultan2828]

@@muditashukla i started watching Bharat ek khoj but i didn't like it cuz it wasn't very academic and some ppl in the comments said that it was biased too I have now downloaded a course from torrent about the Indian history by Michael H. Fischer It's good

[@justabbie3419]

" Today I'm going to prove to you that the renaissance wasn't really a thing." me- I'd like to see you try.. (after video) Everything I've learned is a lie.....

[@GMovieSeeker]

I don't really agree with his argument. Nobody says that the Renaissance happened in one moment, like the French Revolution or the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Renaissance was an ERA in European history. Namely, the era that separated the Middle Ages from the Early Modern Era. It was not only the era of rediscovering Greek and Roman art and wisdom, but also the beginning of capitalism in Europe, via a growth in trade, small scale industry and the beginning of banking.

[@mukeka1337]

Stating that the Renaissance didn't happen is an interesting point of view, but is not by any means a fact. If only 1% of the population experienced it does that mean that it didn't happen? In the 1970s when people living in the Siberian forests came in contact with the outside world they didn't know that the 2nd world war ended because they didn't know there was a war. Does that mean that the 2nd world war wasn't a thing? How many people need to be experiencing it to say that it happened. The war changed the world in many aspects as did the Renaissance. It changed it from the top down, because it changed the governments etc. Causality works in different ways, there are chain reactions. If some peasant didn't experience Michelangelo's art first hand it doesn't mean that it didn't affect him somehow. The Renaissance didn't have a concept attached to it until many years later, but it's the same for many things. It's impossible to see anything in it's entirety while it's still happening, because it's not in it's entirety yet. People still at this day say that the Sun rises and sets while knowing that saying so is factually incorrect. Does that mean that the scientific revolution hasn't happened either, because it doesn't affect everyone everywhere in every aspect of life.

[@joanotla5596]

WWII impacted the majority of the world. Killing in fact more that 1% of the population. He is making the point that while it technically happened, its not relevant, and not worth naming the renaissance.

[@BrunoSantos-ud6rt]

Mark Bruey Well, we can't forget that renaissance period gave us brilliant minds, that perceived the universe and everything around them in different way that the opressive catholic church made people believe. In fact Da Vinci, Copernico and other scientists' works bumped the modern science by unveiling a lot of things people wouldn't even remind. While some may argue that Renaissence never really happened, I disagree. All the artistic, cultural and scientific advances by that 5% of the Italian population made possible (in any other way) the modern life we live today. Opening our minds to knowledge again and liberating people from the middle age darkness was a very important step towards modern life so renaissence will always be a "thing" I'll embrace even if it only worked for 5% of italian population at first.

[@AbbeyRoadkill1]

I think all the time periods that historians talk about are artificial reconstructions after the fact. It's our way of "laying a grid" over history - categorizing it and measuring it. If "history" includes everything up to the present, then the Renaissance happened because our present conception of it as "the Renaissance" was the result of all that history.

[@LadyCoyKoi]

"People still at this day say that the Sun rises and sets while knowing that saying so is factually incorrect." Especially when there are people living on this planet who live at places to which much of the year is night time and much of year is day time. I'm looking at you Greenland, Finland, Norway, Alaska and Siberia.

[@saunalenkki]

+2020Syd This is miles away from intellectual conversation. Quote: "look at the nazi's, jews, everyone who isn't blond hair blue eyes white/aryan" Wtf are you trying to imply? Nazis did not plan to kill everyone without blonde hair. Renaissance is a broad term used to describe the whole bunch of scientific, humanist, political and artistic changes, philosophies, values, and discoveries in areas mostly inside Europe, that spawned from reconnecting with ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and writings. The views of the Catholic church were challenged. Something that put Europe on the right track towards modern society. Many other cultures would have benefited from it, but did not exactly go through the same lengthy process. Consequences of it can be seen today.

[@langfordjeremy100]

Hey there CC! I just wanted to tell you guys the gratitude I feel towards you guys is tremendous. This world history is helping me discover a passion I never knew I had and preparing me for a exciting trip to Europe. so thanks

[@alexkirby4502]

6:16 Florentine? Isn't that what everyone's stuck in in 2020?

[@jasonhe5578]

lol

[@javier6926]

The Renaissance happened in Italy for a simple reason: it was the most developed region in Europe since the time of the Roman Empire. Even after the Empire fell, Italy was Europe's thinking head. The first university of the world was founded in Bologna, the first banks in Florence and Genoa, the commercial capital of Europe was Venice... and Rome was the centre of Christian civilisation.

[@afifi1828]

I think the first university is in either Abbasid Empire at Baghdad or Al Andalus Cordoba

[@WM01129]

afifi hasan that is the "First University IN THE WORLD". We're talking about IN EUROPE. I know that you're trying to feel Muslim proud over here but we're discussing about European History during the 1400's :P

[@javier6926]

afifi hasan Some scholars apply the term "university" to islamic madrasas, but it's a mistake. The two institutions were fundamentally different.

[@MsSomeone98]

Or maybe because Italy was a frikkin trade center that got all the money and minds? That was how they were so filthy rich and developed.

[@MsSomeone98]

Javier Añón​ What is it with the use of the terms "madrasas" and "Allah"? Seriously, those aren't words only for Islam. They're ARABIC words. Non-Muslim Arabs use the words " madrasa" and "Allah" all the Tims.

[@humanithink3355]

Wait, John Green?!?!? Fault in our stars!?!?! Paper towns?!?!? I'm subscribing

[@genrecritical]

welcome to nerdfighteria :)

[@humanithink3355]

lol

[@DarionBoyd]

+hugawolf awesomeness his main channel is vlogbrothers. I give it a 9.5 out of 10. strongly recommended.

[@humanithink3355]

k, ill check it out

[@aydens5224]

IKR!? I've been watching crash course forever and halfway through tfios, I realized he was the author!XD

[@aurelius358]

An Open Letter to Mr. Green & Co. Dear Mr. Green and Company, I love this series. I love Crash Course. I platonically love you all. But this episode, though. I don't care for it. See, the Renaissance existed as much as any other period of history exists: in our minds, as a handy reference tool. If the Inquisition exists, so too does the Renaissance. If the Golden Age of Islam exists, so too does the Renaissance. If the Silk Road exists, so too does the Renaissance. You describe the Renaissance, near the end of the video, as "a lot of mutually interdependent things that occurred over centuries." Yes - which is to say, it's a thing. It's a thing that helps historians group similar ideas over a period of time. Saying the Renaissance didn't exist is like saying Ancient China (for instance) didn't exist because it, too, is a lot of mutually interdependent things that occurred over centuries." Eurocentrism sucks, but that doesn't mean everything European that was positive should be minimalized. If you're going to - rightfully! - denounce European violence, so too must you not minimalize Middle Eastern violence or Asian violence. (For example: The Mongol Conquests killed at *least* 40,000,000 people - possibly more like 70,000,000! - but the Mongols get endless praise and a comical throwback in every episode.) I still do love this series. And Crash Course. And, platonically, you. Best wishes, Me

[@nunoraimundo]

Excellent comment!

[@kentgallmann1979]

He argues the Renaissance isn't a thing because of the small effect it had on the people living during it. people in Ancient China were influenced directly by having an Ancient China. The Silk Road and the Golden Age of Islam both directly impacted the life style and quality of those living during them. As John clearly says, only about 5% of Europeans' lives were impacted by the artistic influx.

[@daltonskarovsky433]

crash course is a bunch of libbies @@liquidKi

[@SamandeepSingh]

I have to agree with Kent because the Renaissance is only a relevant period of time because of its contributions that are relevant to us. These contributions were likely never meant for us and that's why I don't think it was a thing. I think the point John is trying to make is that if we're calling Renaissance by this specific name that is equated to entire eras, then we may as well call random stuff happening that has a vaguely loose connection an equally glorified name because the metric has to be how many people were involved or how many people were impacted.

[@juniameimoises4544]

This is an excellent comment that should also be pinned in the comment section so viewers would understand the intentions of the video and not be misled. Nevertheless, the video is awesome and informative and opinionated in some little ways.

[@nidAaa2]

You gained a subscriber by making history intresting..

[@johnmars5282]

Every historian nowadays knows that periodization is wrong. The Renaissance was much less a "historical period" and more of an intellectual and artistic revolution that happened in the course of three centuries. One cannot say that "It did not happen" because quite simply it's effects were immediately felt in the scientific and intellectual world. For example Erasmus was invited to the court of the Holy Roman Emperor as a councilor, Dante and Cervantes became celebrities only a few years after their deaths, Shakespeare was read by the Elizabethan nobility, the frescos and statues in the churches were open for all too see. True, the effects of the Renaissance would not mature until the 16th century, but arguably by then the European world was already ready to leave both classical civilization for good and go towards an "Age of Enlightenment". Thus while the Renaissance was not an event like a battle, it was certainly an event in intellectual and artistic history that had very little to do with outside sources such as Muslim or Theological writings and more to do with the professionalization of secular sciences and arts. Also, I'm a leftist but sorry John Green but even I can't accept this revisionist history that the Ottomans somehow aided to the coming of the Renaissance. If anything the Ottomans were the reason why the Italian Renaissance declined. Most of the trade exports of the Italian city-states went to central and western Europe. The prime materials for this trade to be possible came entirely from the mediterranean through the Indian Spice trade. The Venetians and Genoans facilitated this trade by way of their Greek colonies in the Aegean and Ionian seas. This trade firstly abruptly ended with the fall of Constantinople, which then was followed by the almost total territorial loss of their colonies by the Ottomans barring them completely from the Spice trade. Hence the incentive to discover India and the journey of Columbus.

[@luckedo93]

john Mars Trading tax was the main economic source of the Ottoman Empire. So i'don't think they would just cut off the trade. They simply can't. Now I know you wanna hate Muslims, Turks or the Ottoman Empire but what'r you gona do... Sometimes, truth is a bitch.

[@johnmars5282]

Jared Hunter " There was considerable state supervision in commerce and many regulations and a tax on almost every transaction. Licenses were needed for merchants, sea captains and others in business. When an employee left a company, the government was notified. Markets were patrolled by a kadi (judge) with the power to punish on the spot those who tried to cheat. Profit was limited to 10% and the government tried to insure trade was conducted fairly and moved securely over the trade routes .Foreign trade needed the permission of the government and exports were tightly controlled.the main exports were leather,skins and wool. Items needed for the military such as wood for shipbuilding, minerals and food were rarely allowed to be exported. The early Moslem leaders recognized the importance of commerce to the health of the empire and welcome productive immigrants such as the Jews who were expelled from Spain in the 1492. Almost every man in Turkey was engaged in some trade, even the sultan learned a trade. Mehmed I made bow strings, Selin I was a goldsmith. and demonstrated the nobility of work." "The early Ottoman allies, the French were the first Europeans to be granted trade rights in 1534. The English were allowed in 1567 and in 1581 Queen Elizabeth I granted the Turkey Company an exclusive charter to trade with the Ottoman Empire." ottomanempire.info/economy.htm So no, the Ottomans did not facilitate trade in the Mediterranean for the Italian city-states but hindered it, by nearly monopolising the spice-trade, that's why Venice fought SEVEN fricking wars against the ottomans.

[@theprinceofdarkness4679]

john Mars I don't think anyone can seriously argue that the Renaissance "never happened." John Green sheepishly admitted as much in his final thoughts. His point is that it only affected the "elites" or "bourgeoisie" if that is a suitable term for them. The life of a peasant farmer in 1800CE was not much different than the life of a peasant farmer in 2000BCE. Neither had much use for writing or other intellectual pursuits. The only advantage that the 1800CE man had was an iron plow, a horse collar and maybe a musket. You probably aren't arguing against that at all. However, that is probably the best take-home point out of this little video over all the other controversial points.

[@johnmars5282]

Alecks Horchata Yes crusades also played an important role in expanding their trading power.

[@PanicbyExample]

Alecks Horchata well artists are the same as they ever were... that period being propped up as special may not be any more fair than an independent art fan saying 'well what the renaissance really is to me was my grandma's petunia garden it was just spectacular'... as if the renaissance is more of the eye of the beholder, than an actively pursued goal of participants... take today's media culture... it seems like they're trying to self-aggrandize their purposefulness as if to live up to the standards of 'great times'... maybe part of that self-fulfillment is to realize that as far as history goes, the only real standard is surviving part of which is the benefit of recognizing what you appreciate most from history

[@lavenderkay533]

I get so hyped over the Renaissance. and the medici family. and art. everything.

[@culturehub2628]

Beth Kwiecinski me too. Not because one of the influential artists from the renaissance has my name or anything tho...

[@aarOuOn]

I don't think it's really fair to say that Renaissance artists were religious just because they did a lot of religious art work. Most Renaissance artworks were commissions. A lot of them, I might add, from the church.

[@donpflege3193]

yep

[@slitor]

The renaissance wasn't about reason....enlightenment age mah boy! The thing about the rennesiacene is that it was more about "Re"Disciovery of the greek knowledge rather then making new ones. Then again everything is a process.

[@snowmanleblanc6053]

I have to agree with M C, being religious is not necessarily defying any science or logic. There are many people who are religious but still contributes in science. They believes in Bible or Qur'an or Wedha as mere story and cling to them as moral compass.

[@garretphegley8796]

Michelangelo was Obviously heavily religious... Davinci proabably not so much.

[@BornGam3r]

M C That percentage is very high with (non-Western) muslims, but low with Christians *because of the age of enlightenment* .

[@thegreatjay1245]

This is the first and only time I heard Stan talk.

[@fUZZILin]

I laughed at the Assassin's Creed part 😂😂😂 I love the game

[@il_aquilus]

fUZZI Lin I think so too! I have a certain Italian assassin as one of my favorite assassins from the game franchise.

[@paulwalsh7134]

Splinter was the translated nickname of Masaccio: a master from the early Renaissance.

[@williamwilliams6358]

NOW WE KNOW!

[@BunnyOfThunder]

The printing press was also developed in the 15th century. Then a guy called Aldus Manutius in Italy started printing a ton of books about his favourite things, such as the Greeks, and his press is one of the reasons that Europe suddenly started learning about and nerding out over the Greeks. He even invented a new, slanted font to try and pack more letters onto a page. Because he was in in Italy, it got called italics. In any case, the sudden increase in the availability of books (from Aldus and various others) was critical in spreading ideas, such as Copernicus's heliocentric model of the solar system.

[@moogiee_moo]

Aye!! Good luck to y’all taking the Euro exam tomorrow 💘

[@johnnydang8138]

Thanks bruv

[@michaelreese2919]

thanks man

[@ghettonoodlez7457]

Thanks kokichi

[@martif565]

I have it in a couple months and I’m using it for Homework right now, but don’t worry ill be back

[@hukkumkhinda497]

i have 3 days :

[@umidontno040394]

Just because he mentions muslim contributions doesn't mean he is downplaying the European ones. seriously all of history is so interconnected other civilizations almost always make contributions to other civilizations success.

[@krim7]

People are never really confronted with the idea that other civilizations were important, both to world history and, more directly, to European history. The sole exception for this is probably China, as its influence and importance is far too vast for even Euro-centrists to ignore.

[@TheXyek]

Oh to me I felt it that way, I'm watching the course since the beginning and I realised everytime he talks about Europe its to say "Oh it's boring there is better stuff out there in India, Africa lololol". So ok I understand Europe is not the only place on earth but this is getting a little stupid saying Renaissance didn't even happen, I mean obviously it wasn't something that happened overnight but it was real, and that's what lead Europe to dominate the world in the future. I've not watched the reste of the course but I hope he admits that. And just to be clear I'm not saying that Europe dominated everything since the beginning of men but I feel like John tries too hard to break this stereotype by overestimating non european civilizations and undermining europe's work, just to prove his point that Europe isn't the only thing that exists.

[@AbbeyRoadkill1]

But apart from Greece and Rome, which he talks about a lot in this series, there wasn't a lot of exciting stuff happening in Europe until the Renaissance. So, I can understand why he (being a product of the the USA's decidedly Eurocentric education system) decided to play up the interesting things happening elsewhere in the world.

[@bendove3939]

The "Eurocentrist" education system is a false conception. The whole of the USAs college and grade schools are all liberal and force a bunch of bullcrap on the students. He media, politicians, and teachers are always dissing Europe and white people, men especially. The whole of the world is shouting that white people suck, and is focusing on rather minor accomplishments of minorities. The fact is, we should learn about our ancestors, which in my case are Northern Europeans. Their is a lot of stuff to be proud of about my people, as they generally started the USA, democracy, and much that makes the world great. Not to mention the undeniable military domination of the west. So shut ur liberal mouths up and see things how they are.

[@bendove3939]

The USA is only racist against white people and if U do some research that will be obvious.

[@Shivxngee]

always making me fall in love with history .. thank you John Green and Crash Course xx

[@ryanne8590]

I'm here because the AP World History exam is in two days.

[@herbtheduck458]

420 Subs and No Videos Same

[@pao-rl8by]

Tmr yall

[@ryanne8590]

Paola Castro good luck i’m terrified

[@aidan.11]

Last minute study gang

[@Michelle-hy6ry]

Yooo sameeee

[@bigworm3886]

I think John tries to make the point which could have been more forcefully is that the renaissance is a sort of an outdated eurocentric way to teach the history of this era in time. Instead of learning the crusade->renaissance timeline that I'm sure we all grew up with. A more accurate picture would be to teach of the Muslim world's active influence on European learning the way they teach that the Greeks influenced Rome centuries before. It was the Islam Golden age which had gone on for a while before this time that actually kept the Greek/Roman body of knowledge alive and diffused it to Europe.

[@trollforlife]

Sucks to all you people who are doing homework. I just find these videos entertaining.

[@IAssassinII]

I thought I was the only one.

[@EliteMJC123]

Thanks yet again John Greene for providing another great video to help me through my studying. Reading over my notes gets quite boring after awhile and you provide enough info while making it funny as well

[@oluwademiladefajemisin8927]

This channel is a blessing. Keep doing what you do!

[@staffordlewis9503]

You guys are wonderful. The show is intelligent, nuanced and accessible. Keep going with this.

[@YumiOnline]

John Green please never ever stop teaching with that lovely personality of yours

[@sheylacarbajal3754]

@Gerrelle Faison agreed

[@hongrand]

Who's cramming for a test?

[@evangelinelouise6145]

XD Me!!!!

[@roninelenion4805]

Me

[@NBRoCksinThEHOoD]

+RyanHong [Hongrand] Midterms :(:

[@BubbyPWN]

+RyanHong [Hongrand] Quiz actually. Missed the whole explanation lmao

[@davidrobinson5610]

Me

[@ashleybecciani]

When will you have new episodes about events that happened during the Renaissance? I love the comparison of age at the end with Donatello and Raphael, really puts things in perspective. Thank you! :)

[@katerynat3198]

Love this episode: Renaissance, Medici and Assassin's Creed. Ah, just perfect.

[@sinder9737]

I know most of the comment here are freaking out about how he down plays the AMAZING GOD-GIVEN SUPER DUPER period we all call the Renaissance but i think hes just trying to convey the fact that we do over play it. Was is super cool that science and art FINALLY made a come back? heck yea. But if you really look at it that was the case in MANY places at different points in history and the Renaissance just is another one of those points but we all applaud it because it basically lead to industrialization and advancement of science instead of being crushed unlike all other periods of growing science. We remember the Renaissance because so many great ideas and objects came out of it but he is right it really just built on what came before, like every other age/era. The Renaissance is romanticized as some amazing wellspring of all things good but really very few contributed anything of value. It was those few that are worth lauding over not the period itself. He also is conveying that the world as a whole is part of history. Just as what we have today is largely a result of things from the Renaissance, the Renaissance is largely due to other forces including Muslim scholarship along with Greek works. We just remember Renaissance better because it was more recent and we have more paintings, writings and other stuff still around to point to and say LOOK, ISN'T THIS COOL? He's not saying the whole section of time is irrelevant he's saying we don't look at it subjectively enough compared to most other times and that it was more a smattering of advances that took a LONG time to happen rather than some magical time we like to say it is. TLDR; Did important things happen in the Renaissance? Absolutely,Yes. Was it a magical time where humanity was transformed? No. A small few made advances that lead to more advances but those advances were really just building upon the advances of before. (still doing it today, believe it or not)

[@rucsandajuncu4578]

Thank you so much for expressing an intelligent opinion without insulting anyone. I want your comment tattooed on my back.

[@tachikoma747]

Hey John, have you, or could you, do one of these videos on the Revolutions of 1848 in Europe? Thanks!

[@collinhenry12]

John Green make history so fun, he is one of the best historian of all time.

[@sashaz6842]

Was just looking for a crash course in history and I get it told by one of my fave authors! Score! This is great!

[@alysonburch]

I want to have a degree in Dark Arts.. Not Sociology/Criminal Justice. :/

[@pcdihealth]

alyson burch if so, you need to major in medevil studies

[@colaphoenix6849]

you could take a social justice class at one of those fancy collapsing universities, that is as close as you get to dark arts in real life.

[@therandomshtshow2245]

Hey same last name! Lol

[@cyancia9567]

alyson burch casual flex but ok

[@MtNikota]

You forgot the engineering/building part, and the "we discover new lands that will change the world" part... Marco polo, magellan, christopher columbus, they change the way to see the world... Plus, many great structures were built, some of the greatest castles ever were built during the renaissance (mostly in France), Leonardo da vinci was a visionary, and had really foreseen lot of technical things, not only in art, The renaissance's humanism, the way to see our body, our health, even sports... Montaigne, Machiavel, the way to see and think politics, legitimate coercive power, the slow restart of sciences.. Plus many of the roots of the french revolution, and the declaration of the rights of men and citizen are to find in the renaissance... roots that will spread to the american constitution later. And roots that will start all the enlightenment process

[@marumakoto]

This is an awesome show! Learn from it with simplicity and entertainment! More power!

[@ruchpat1]

3:12 I take smidgen of an Issue with this assertion , saying it did not happen is something that needs some elucidation. Furthermore I think that although normatively the Renaissance is associated with Italy it is important to distinguish the different European Renaissance in order to highlight the contributions that each one uniquely brought to the civilized world. I would not say I’m mad about this but I think it’s more appropriate to focus on each Renaissance individually as it’s own entity as opposed to the trite understanding of it only pertaining to Italy.

[@celticcountrylover]

I'm not entirely certain that you can classify the Renaissance as "not happening" simply because the vast majority of people didn't experience it at the time. Certainly your definition of what the Renaissance entails can be fluid, but just because it didn't seem terribly important at the time doesn't mean it was nonexistent. It was simply an event that lasted hundreds of years instead of a decade or two and was restricted to the elitist of the elite. It was still present, as evidenced by the fact that today, we DO marvel over many of the works of art created/rediscovered during this time period. It might not have been terribly important at the time, but we still remember it centuries later.

[@bertrandlecerf2565]

So it DID happen, but it's not what we make it out to be. Correct ?

[@TheDeqiro]

Basically imagine in 1,000 years, scholars look back at the years were living right now and call it the renaissance. Nothing feels different, it's just a name given to a point in time where there is a movement in things related to art was very prominent. It didn't happen in terms of one day there was a drastic change, it was pretty gradual but drastic when looked at from the beginning. If that makes sense.

[@pickletineeltaimados5205]

Well, yes it did happen. It seems the point of the video is to say, "Our perception of the Renaissance is skewed", not "The Renaissance didn't happen."

[@3dstaco]

Well I did happen but just very slowly. Basically the Catholic Church was corrupt, almost every body lost knowledge especially because they forgot to read. Thank goodness for the printing press that was made during that time period allowing people to read easier. And also allowing Martin Luther's 95 theses to spread around Europe much faster. I find it an important time in history because after several wars on religion and new scientific discoveries the church wasn't controlling every body and people were able to say what they want without having to be burned to death. The Renaissance is more than just art and was a very important thing.(There's a lot more to it that I didn't mention.) If you are thinking this video will help you on your test yeah that's a good one. But hey it's just a KZbin video.

[@Questron71]

The printing press did not really result in immediate (re-)literalisation of Europe (If you could at any time speak of it being truly literalised before). Books were still perversely expensive for 97% or so of the population and being a serf on a farm or a lowly worker in a city did not qualify you for learning to read. And of whom would you have learned? Rich people? They did not especially care for poor people and wouldn't have invested the time and effort... The Clergy? Did only teach what they needed in their own ranks to do theri godly work... The small caste of officials working for the nobles to administrate the lands (if they weren't clergy anyway that is)? Nah, also not interested in spreading knowledge to everybody. Luther was so revolutionary because he made the contents of the bible available for everybody through translation... now not just the few lucky educated people speaking / understanding latin could follow god's word, but everybody listening to the sermon or scripture citation could make up their own mind. It would still be quite some time until the bible was in every household and reading was a general ability for the common folks... but at least now they could look at what their priest claimed the bible said and if it really turned up that way in his reading.

[@ahmedhenkel5232]

Your video has oppend a new perspective for me about the Rainaissance. I never really knew that it went down like that.

[@HanaHanie98]

I love your videos I am watching them because I study these things and these videos help a lot. Thank you :)

[@chickensdontclap147]

John Green, why are you hating on Aristotle? He was such a boss. Yes, he was wrong about some things, but everyone's wrong sometimes. It's not his fault that his mistakes weren't questioned and were propagated for centuries. Philosophically Aristotle may be my favourite thinker of the Ancient world. His metaphysics, specifically his critique of Plato's Theory of Forms are so rigorous and eloquent they crack his entire worldview open. His Nicomachean Ethics reject abstract absolutism in favour of grounded and practical development of character. (DFTBA should;t stand for "Don't Forget To Bitch (about) Aristotle")! Love Crash course and everything you do!!

[@gaboper]

Hi +CrashCourse! I'm a big fan. Please do a series about art movements for art geeks. It would be interesting to know how painting, sculpture and architecture evolved over the course of time. Sincerely, A big fan/ art geek

[@jmaried.9642]

I have watched so much of your videos and it took me so much of them before I realized you wrote The fault in our stars!! Looking for Alaska!! OMG. This is awesome!

[@soniashrestha7199]

Thank You, John Green for helping me in the right way before my British Poetry examination. And, thank you very much for bringing Harry Potter and making it more enjoyable. "The Dark Arts is a dangerous profession" Indeed!

[@giorgiomarcobossi2816]

I'm Italian, please don't compare us with Berlusconi, the rest it's true and beautiful, good job!!

[@SebastianSilva-xx1cf]

i'm here cuz I've heard of this channel and tomorrow I have a test of this and, wow, this is like all that it's on my book, even more, and I learned it in a funny way! like, not the boring teacher! Thanks John and all the crew of Crash Course because, I now know that the renaissance has never happened!!! I MEAN WOW!!

[@RECHDIful]

Always give us a different angle to look at history. Thanks

[@XtraYearsofZest347]

Your editing is great man! Many thumbs up!

[@supermikeikev]

I'd love to play a game where you negotiate a trade treaty. It'd be more interesting than assassins creed is now.

[@PsyX99]

+michael matthews There is games more orientated to trade and stuff like that :p

[@PsyX99]

+michael matthews There is games more orientated to trade and stuff like that :p

[@supermikeikev]

I know and I have them. Just saying that maybe ac should stop

[@rob11007]

+michael matthews play Crusader Kings, Europa IV, or Civ V

[@supermikeikev]

Ben Fox Those are... absolutely not about trade. I already own them all. Trade is secondary at best.

[@christopherhendra7076]

I'm here because the test will measure whether I am an informed, engaged, and productive citizen of the world, and it will take place in schools and bars and hospitals and dorm rooms and in places of worship. I will be tested on first dates, in job interviews, while watching football, and while scrolling through my Twitter feed. The test will judge my ability to think about things other than celebrity marriages, whether I’ll be easily persuaded by empty political rhetoric, and whether I’ll be able to place my life and my community in a broader context. The test will last my entire life, and it will be comprised of the millions of decisions that, when taken together, will make my life mine. And everything, everything, will be on it.

[@chiefchicken1139]

that's a bit *deep* for people who are watching teenage mutant ninja turtles

[@artgeometrix6346]

These videos are so cool to watch. Educational, entertaining and rational

[@chrys0528]

Thank you. You made my life easier crash course! You have sucessfully gained a new subscriber

[@abdullahyusof4739]

For those who want to know of some Muslim scholars who influenced Copernicus, Al Battani Thabit Al Shatir Tusi

[@kingofprussia17]

Abdullah Yusof Shut up and go back to your fucking desert.

[@sjengvullers8163]

+kingofprussia17 Wait king of prussia with the flag of gb?

[@baconchickenforty-two9208]

+Abdullah Yusof geez, like ten comments were condensed so i red this like "Scholars influencing copernicus" "muslims torture non christians". WHAT

[@mahdisekandari5364]

+kingofprussia17 If we intended to kill and destroy every other faithful person in this world, you wouldn't be here. You know nothing of the religion of Islam, stay out of our religion.

[@kingofprussia17]

Mahdi Sekandari How about you stay out of my religion and stay out of our lands? hypocrite.

[@AsherBrine]

"Mario, Luigi, come out, the Renaissance is here!" My classmates and I all died right here XD

[@Shivxngee]

+Asher Brine (Spartan 343) you're shown this stuff in class? wow cool !

[@theterrariatimes4387]

I LOVE THIS CHANNEL, YOU'RE VERY RIGHT AT EXPLAINING THIS SO CALLED "Renaissance"

[@maymadison3620]

I love that "was I a thing?" Vitruvian ninja turtle on your board ...I want it on a t-shirt!! I'd buy if u make one !!

[@domsusefulstuff]

Wow. John Green is only one year older than me. Time to re-evaluate my life goals again.

[@kevinmcguinness6526]

Very well argued. This video really changed my perspective on the Renaissance.

[@cosmodeus1720]

That's pretty sad if this video changed your perspective. Read some books, listen to some actual historians. It takes more to gain knowledge on a subject than a 10 min video.

[@Zack61986]

I've been watching the series and couldn't concentrate on this episode because I can still see the fold lines on your polo. Like you literally just bought it from Dillard's and slapped it on for recording.

[@ridhimajoshi745]

This makes history a hundred times more interesting than it already is

[@samy6465]

Over and over and over and over and STAN!!

[@howellotr]

Sam Y over and over and over and over and over and STAN

[@adrianlujambio3315]

anyone got the exam on thursday and feels like they gunna fail BC SAME

[@herbtheduck458]

That sounds exactly like me

[@emelyaccostupa3311]

that’s me rn tryna watch all 40 videos

[@eplemoss]

@@emelyaccostupa3311 same here 🤪🤕

[@vixx4970]

oh man, me rn

[@janaidcurbelo-rijo9949]

anyone else watching this during quarantine for online school

[@BobbyShellyZimmzazz]

y'all actually watch the videos ur teachers give you?!

[@sqnot]

Me

[@kamine123ful]

oh my god i just saw this video for school and i love John Green books.

[@JLakis]

Actually the term "Renaissance" WAS coined in the Renaissance by an Italian author describing the artists and architects of his day, although I'm guessing he used the Italian or Latin equivalent and not the French. As far as to whether 'regular' people experienced the benefits thereof, I'd argue that they did, especially in the long term. Certainly the artists and scholars did in the form of paying work. The tradespeople and merchants of the Italian republics certainly had an increased standard of living, plus they had some say in their own governance. There was the re-introduction of the concept of public works, such as city-planning, and water and sewage systems. The introduction of the movable-type printing press meant a freer exchange of ideas and rising literacy, as well as the founding and expansion of centers of learning, creating (better, at least) lawyers, doctors, and, importantly for Mr. Green, scholars. Away from the Italian peninsula, England experienced an increase in trade, a rising middle class, and moved away from the feudal system of government towards Parliamentary rule. In the German states, the wide-spread publication of what might have been a minor theological squabble turned into a complete split with the Roman Catholic Church. This was appealing to: a) Princes who wanted greater autonomy in their rule, and B) The average Christian who found intellectual and political empowerment in the idea that they ought to be able to read and interpret Scripture on their own without intercession from priestly classes. I'd like to add that while Mr. Green seems naturally inclined to this subject matter because his interests lie in the humanities, his tendency to use Italian (and Greek) stereotypes is troubling. When he speaks of China there are no references to Charlie Chan or depictions of people speaking in blurbs of Peking Duck, but the Italians in several of these videos are depicted as pizza tossing, cartoon turtles or mustachioed plumbers from an old video game, and speak in blurbs of olives. Why is this OK? I find this disconcerting from a White male who hails from a place where a wedge of iceberg lettuce topped with mayonnaise and yellow cheese is considered a salad. Also, if you would like to assert that there had been others who had worked with the idea of the heliocentric solar system, and there were, even in Ancient Greece, then you might want to cite some sources. Actually, cite sources in general. I'm not going to take what you say on faith because you're on the internet, which has a dubious reputation for facts.

[@jerryr5190]

Jessica Lakis your good!

[@JLakis]

I'm just a total nerd.

[@jerryr5190]

LOL! We are all a little now a days, "nerds" rule the world now. LOL

[@JLakis]

At last! It has to be all that practice from playing Civilization and Total War.

[@jerryr5190]

LMAO!!!!!

[@TheEphemeralMammal]

You lost me at Christopher Columbus was an expert sailor.

[@gearfire123]

He actually was a fairly competent sailor. A horrible person mind you, but a good sailor.

[@gearfire123]

AcroFire Entertainment He didn't get lost on his way to India. Hell, he wasn't even trying to get to India. It was physically impossible for him to hit anywhere in Asia or Oceania in the first place, and he couldn't have known that little tidbit of information. It's kind of hard to reach your destination when you don't know that there's a continent in the way. Also he never landed in Canada, he landed in the Caribbean.

[@justinmallory6982]

Gearfire He was informed that Asia was too far away, he just thought the earth was smaller that people said.

[@2CSST2]

AcroFire Entertainment I think you fail to make the actually obvious dictinction between geographic expert and expert sailor.

[@mattonellascheggiata9302]

justin mallory you know, It was the 15th century; i doubt there was Google maps at that time

[@rybud17]

This may be my favorite episode of this series.

[@spencerduhbarrett]

thankyou for the reservoir of knowledge and entertaining visuals!

[@gfaghih6851]

Im offensive, and I find this Italian

[@ZMIGHTYONEZ]

+Gelaiol Faghih you tell them

[@nattaliarivas5970]

+Gelaiol Faghih htfuyi6uytr776rrt78ot768r

[@intergalactichumanempire9759]

+Gelaiol Faghih try getting a therapy session and changing the language settings

[@jajaa72]

I have dyslexia and tbh i didint knotuce it until i looked at the coments.x3

[@HumanoidChia]

😂😂😂

[@matthewklompus8444]

"It matters to us now. It gave us the Ninja Turtles" Brilliant

[@princesskaren78]

Thank you for this content. 🎉 you guys rock!!

[@peoplebstupid4892]

Mr Green - Mr Green - Mr Green -- you make learning about history fun --AWESOME

[@cloopall]

I've learned more in 11 minutes from this video than I have in a whole semester in class

[@daveb1383]

I really enjoy John Green's videos in general, but I like this one in particular. I think he does a good job of balancing the traditional "story" of the Renaissance, while also bringing to light lesser know facts about Middle Eastern contributions. I know not everything can be covered in a short video, but overall Green does a fine job of bringing varied perspectives to a very brief format.

[@jerryr5190]

What are you talking about about? He skips almost everything about the main events about the Renaissance. Yes, I agree when talking about history of a region and a point of time it is good to touch on what ells was going on a bit or talk about the near abroad a bit but not get off topic. How do you leave out things like the Printing press, Leonardo Da Vinci's Robts and mechanical knight, or the first riffling, Hans Talhoffer manuscripts that shows all sorts of things as well as "explosive gate drones" some people I know call them that barbecue that is what they were more or less. Also the Fact that European armor became so sophisticated at this time (1390-1600 AD)when NASA designed their space suits they studied European armor as part of the program, as well as some robotics do the same. Also: It happened over a long period of development? Yes, but that is what history is on it self. It is almost like saying there was no Cold War because the Cold War also happened over a long period time & developments. The difference is we had TVs to see more or less what was happening, the Renaissance they did not; but both has happen. If we did not have TVs when the Cold war was happening it did not happen because people was not aware of it? That is a silly argument; as there are things going on in our era that we do not know or not know very tittle about but yet those things are still going on over a long period time with us knowing or not.

[@arpitmehta2281]

I want to work for you. Understanding and relaying historical fact feels like the greatest calling a person can have.