Renaissance world

It's high adventure in this thrilling addition to the Renaissance World series. Learn all about the Age of Exploration, where brave Europeans sailed around the world in search of sea routes to Asia and India-and found much more than anticipated.

Learn how the European Renaissance came to be! See those most notably involved in this fascinating era. Take a look inside a typical Renaissance home. Follow along as great strides were made in trade, exploration, religion, architecture, and the arts.

Cities and Statecraft in the Renaissance looks at the rise of trade, commerce, guilds, and the merchant and ruling classes in northern Europe. This influenced the growth of towns, cities, states, and regions, who competed with one another for power, artistic talent, and creativity. At the same time, people rich and poor were struggling to establish new forms of society and government.

Religion in the Renaissance features the growth and dominance of the Catholic Church in northern Europe, its influence on art and architecture, and how it was eventually challenged and by whom. Other religions were at best accepted but mostly suppressed, threatened, or violently overthrown. Kings and queens working with the Church dominated the political scene.