During our unit on the Renaissance, we learned about many great artists, scientists, and other influential people who were very important in that time of change. But what would classify them as a genius? According to the the handout we got in class, early geniuses were often skilled in more than one area, but this was not necessarily true for all brilliant minds.  Another criteria which I think a genius should have is that these people are creativeand made great contributions to society through their works and discoveries. One person of the Renaissance who definitely stands out as a genius is the “Renaissance Man”: Leonardo Da Vinci. He was a famous painter, inventor, engineer, and scientist who made many great works, such as the Mona Lisa, a tank, and a flying machine, that contributed to the Renaissance. Some other geniuses of that time were Francis Bacon, who promoted the scientific method during the scientific revolution, and William Shakespeare, who wrote many famous, classic plays and sonnets and invented many words and popular sayings. Galileo was skilled in physics, math, and astronomy,and by making an improved telescope, concluded that Copernicus’ theory of the sun-centered solar system was true. Issac Newton also was accomplished in math, physics, and astronomy. He discovered the nature of white light, invented the reflecting telescope, and discovered the law of gravity. These are just a few examples of geniuses from the Renaissance, but there are many more. The handout also says that the era of big geniuses may be over, but this won’t stop people from making new discoveries. So, what does make someone a genius? In my opinion, a genius is creative, is good at what they’re doing, and their works and discoveries make significant impact on society.

Last Monday, our class had our Renaissance dinner party! I got to meet many important figures and artists of the Renaissance there who all contributed to the change that came to Italy and Europe. Some of these people I meet were Catherine de Medici, a patron of the arts, Francis Bacon, who promoted the scientific method, Johann Gutenberg, who invented the printing press, Titian, who was the official artist of Venice, and many more! At the dinner party, I played the role of Savonarola. He, or “I”, was a preacher,argued for equality,and dedicated his life to reforming the corruption of the church and society. It was a fun activity, and I learned a lot about the many important and influential people of the Renaissance and what they did that brought about this rebirth in culture.

Citations for pictures:

http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/execution-florentine-friar-savonarola