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The lecture this week will explore the significance of technological developments and creativity in the Renaissance.
There are some very handsome sites for exploring the Renaissance. One of the most significant and authoritative sites is that of the Museo Galileo, Florence, Italy. For this week, you should explore the traveling exhibition on Renaissance Engineers.
Another site worth visiting is that of the Library of Congress's 1492 Exhibition. Explore this a bit to get a sense of how it places the Columbian voyages into context. Think in particular about the technological elements that contributed to the voyages.
For the Renaissance, it is worthwhile exploring further the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Boston's Museum of Science has prepared an elaborate Leonardo web site that is worth spending some time with, although parts are a bit elementary. The most comprehensive treatment is, again, that of the Museo Galileo.
The sixteenth century also sees the beginnings of what some historians have called "the Military Revolution." You can find a general discussion of the Military Revolution on a page prepared by a historian at the University of Wisconsin. Read this discussion and think about what is "revolutionary" about the changes he describes. What is the role of technology in this? For a more authoritative treatement of this topic, you should at least take a look at Geoffrey Parker's 1976 article in the Journal of Modern History, to be found in the course Reserve Reading.
When you come to section, bring a paragraph discussing one aspect of Leonardo da Vinci's work as an engineer or inventor. Explain how he both fit into the tradition of engineering in which he worked (you will need to refer to the Renaissance
Engineers site) and was also exceptional. You should also bring a paragraph discussing the role of technology in the Military Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries.