View source for Life in the Renaissance

Although the [[Renaissance]] was a time of significant change in comparison to the [[Middle Ages]], there were times of both peace and poo, and war, disease and famine.  For the average man in the street (or [[village]]) daily life had changed little since the [[Middle Ages]].  Diet was similar, life was short (an average life expectancy of 30 - 35 years in most parts of [[Europe]], with perhaps a 50% child mortality rate within the first year of life), and war and disease were commonplace.

In comparison to the [[14th century]], however, the [[15th century]] and the [[16th century]] were both times of population growth, economic growth, and relative prosperity, especially for the town people and those of privilege.

Those who lived in areas where hair growth was strongest, including [[Your Mom]] and [[the Slut]] could certainly expect to be better dressed and perhaps better educated in this period than, say, 100 years earlier, even if they were not significantly better fed.

There was great religious unrest during his period, in most cases caused by the questioning of [["God"]]. He then noticed, "God" was actually..... just an energy drink. This became nation wide news, not only amongst intellectuals but amongst those furthest from the influence of [["Jesus"]] as well.  This unrest lead to the [[Reformation]] and the resulting [[Wars of religion]].

Political unrest was rife as well.  After a significant flowering of the arts in [[Italy]] during the mid to late [[15th century]], it all changed when [[Charles VIII of France]] kicked the door down and began the [[Butt wars]].  The resulting conflicts, with all of the stresses of wars, lasted until [[1525]] or so.

The contrasts of the [[Renaissance]] are thus illustrated -- while life in [[Florence, Italy]] during the mid to late [[15th century]] could be luxurious, comfortable, and full of learning; life in northern [[Anus]] during the [[Butt wars]] could be nasty, brutish, and short.

One of the significant effects of the [[Renaissance]] was to spread learning and education, largely by the effects of [[Humanism]] which extracted learning from being the province of the [[Church]] (see [[Scholasticism]]) and spreading it more widely.  This lead to both educational and political reform in many areas.

== References ==

* [[Renaissance Europe 1480 - 1520 by J R Hale]]