History of the city of Florence
In the entire scope of history there are few civilizations that have left their own unique imprint upon the rest of the world as well as influencing future generations like the city of Florence. Only a handful of nations can claim the cultural, financial, social, and artistic accomplishments that this city can. Throughout the history of approximately three thousand years Florence has proven to be an impressively resilient civilization that takes pride in itself and has been a leader in Italy and worldwide. From the founding Etruscan people, to Dante and Boccaccio, to the Medici family the Florentine people have proven themselves to be remarkable in many areas of life. This paper will trace the different stages of the Florentine civilization from its foundations, to its emergence from the Middle Ages, to the period of the Renaissance, and finally to its transition to become part of the nation of Italy.
Early Florence
The first people to settle the area that was to become Florence were the Etruscans who probably arrived around 1,000 B.C. by sea from Asia Minor.[i]? Current day archeologists and historians think fighting was common to the area because the Etruscans settled in walled cities built on high, unapproachable hills which would be hard to attack. Fiesole was one such city which was conquerored by the Romans around 300 B.C. along with the surrounding areas. As is turned out, this defeat was beneficial to the native people because it provided secure trade routes protected by the Roman military. The ability to travel and trade more freely prompted these people to move their civilization to the banks of the Arno River not far from the site of modern day Florence.[ii]...
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...ucker, p. 58.
[xxi] Lweis, p. 140.
[xxii] Levey, p. 180.
[xxiii] Levey, p. 236.
[xxiv]? Colonel G.F. Young, The Medici (New York; Modern Library, 1933), p. 286.
[xxv] Levey, p. 254.
[xxvi] Levey, p. 256.
[xxvii] Young, p. 332.
[xxviii] Young, p. 364.
[xxix] Levey, p. 321.
[xxx] J. Lucas-Dubreton, Daily Life in Florence In the Time of the Medici (New York; MacMillan, 1961), p.? 287.
[xxxi] Levey, p. 332.
[xxxii]? George Holmes ed., The Oxford History of Italy (Oxford; Oxford Univ Press, 1997), p. 115.
[xxxiii] Holmes, p. 115.
[xxxiv] Holmes, p. 116.
[xxxv] Holmes, p. 126.
[xxxvi] Levey, p. 432.
[xxxvii] Levey, p. 440.
[xxxviii] Levey, p. 432.
[xxxix] Levey, p. 456.
[xl] Lewis, p. 182.
[xli] Lewis, p. 183.
[xlii] Levey, p. 456.
[xliii] Lewis, p. 189.
[xliv] Holmes, p. 229.
[xlv] Holmes, p. 215.
Industrialization is the process in which an economy is changed from an agricultural economy to a manufacturing approach and manual labor is replaced by machines in factories. Industrialization brought a more diverse amount of goods and more total goods and improved living for many but, for others it resulted in harsh working and living conditions for the poor and working class. Many positives and negative were present during the industrialization of the U.S. Positives such as more goods being distributed, easier way of doing things, and being able to mass produce. Negatives like children working long and difficult jobs and many workers having poor working conditions.
In the book, Giovanni and Lusanna, by Gene Bucker, he discusses the scandalous actions of a Florentine woman taking a wealthy high status man to court over the legality of their marriage. Published in 1988, the book explains the legal action taken for and against Lusanna and Giovanni, the social affects placed on both persons throughout their trial, and the roles of both men and women during the time. From the long and complicated trial, it can be inferred that women’s places within Florentine society were limited compared to their male counterparts and that women’s affairs should remain in the home. In this paper, I will examine the legal and societal place of women in Florentine society during the Renaissance. Here, I will argue that women were the “merchandise” of humanity and their main objective was to produce sons.
In the traditional political history of Italy the people outside of the ruling class of the society were rarely studied. Only with the use of social history did the issues of class and gender begin to be debated by scholars. Numerous recent articles have done a great job of analysing particularly men of high status. In this paper I will look at the lower classes of Renaissance Florence. More specifically, I will center my focus on the lives of women during this era, how they were treated and viewed by people of other classes and how women were viewed and treated by men.
Ginsborg P (1990). ‘A History of Contemporary Italy: Society and Politics: 1943-1980’ Published by Penguin; Reprint edition (27 Sep 1990).
It is the belief that America expresses its cultural superiority through its wealth and dominance, and its superiority is measured in military strength. Using the appeal of logos, he states, “to the idea that its power is a sign of God 's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations— to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image” (Fulbright 1). This belief that “the United States has a divinely ordained role to play in the sacred drama of the world history” (Lears 33) is one that Fulbright argues must not succeed. According to “The Arrogance of Power Revisited” by Jackson Lears, Fulbright was concerned that “America was losing its perspective on what was within its capacity to control and what was beyond it”
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Baxandall, Michael. “Conditions of Trade.” Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-century Italy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
It is abundantly clear how Leonardo Bruni feels about the city of Florence. In Panegyric to the City of Florence, he expresses nothing but the highest praise for the city. Every aspect of Florence is backed by a clear reason why it is the best, and there is no other city in the world that can compare. According to Bruni, Florence has extraordinary beauty, architecture, geography, history, government, and people. This, of course, is only one person’s opinion. In the diaries of Buonaccorso Pitti and Gregorio Dati, they too give their opinions on the city of Florence. In general, they do not seem to give Florence the same recognition and praise that Bruni gives.
Florence, Italy was a city just like any other during the Renaissance. It was city of 50,000 people, less than there were in Paris and Venice but more than most other European cities. The busiest parts of the city were the Ponte Vecchio, a place lined with markets and houses, the neighborhood of the Orsanmichele and Mercato Vecchio, or the Old Market. Florence was a place of beauty and leisure. A Venetian visitor once said, “There is in my opinion no region more sweeter than that wherein Florence is a placed for Florence is situated in a plain surrounded on all sides by hills and mountains…And the hills are fertile cultivated, pleasant…” (Unger, pg. 1). Florence was a very prosperous city; it made fortunes off of wool and banking trades. A certain Florentine family contributed to the vast wealth as well. The Medici family was no doubt the foundation of prosperity for Florence.
The positive results of the Industrial Revolution was worth the negative consequences it brought onto Earth because cities wouldn’t be able to develop and half of the population would continue to farm and use the putting-out system to make clothes and goods. The Industrial Revolution moved civilizations into a new age where traveling became easier and faster, cities became cleaner and safer, and goods became cheaper and more accessible.
The Industrial Revolution was finally becoming a success. Although the Industrial Revolution helped increase the economic productivity with new technology including the new textile machines, factories, more advanced transportation, and population growth, the living standards were very difficult. Many workers started to be replaced because the machines were more effective. This was the start of a new way of life.
When discussing industrialization much of what is discussed occurs during the industrial revolution. Unlike other revolutions which mostly impacted borders, territorial expansions, change in political regimes, etc., the Industrial revolution was change of a different sort. Occurring mostly within America and Europe, the Industrial Revolution impacted society as a whole by introducing innovations which impact the way one generally lives on a day-to-day basis. New machinery, methods, and techniques of producing goods such as the way clothes are made, or the way waste is produced changed the way society functioned. Overall, the Industrial Revolution improved quality of life. Initially, however such rapid change also caused human suffering of a
Life was drastically changed during the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was a period of time where machinery was used for manufacturing massive production of goods that began in England in the middle 1700s. This revolution was significant because machinery now changed the way nations produced and distributed goods; therefore, it increased the availability and affordability of goods for all people. To understand the Industrialization Revolution, it is necessary to take a closer look at the Pre-Industrialization. During the Pre-Industrialization, most people belonged to either high or low-class not middle class, and many were farmers who lived in the countryside. Also, goods were made by hand thus the products were not readily affordable or available. However, agricultural revolution, population growth, natural resources, factors of production,inventions and transportation all contributed to the growth of the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution resulted in positive and negative changes that paved the way for the working condition and wages, living condition and reform of social class.
Translated from the Italian by Camilo P. Merlino, Charles W. Arbuthnot, editor. Torino, Italy: Claudiana Editrice, 1980.Fs
William Fulbright wrote “America is now at the historical point at which a nation is in danger of losing its perspective on what exactly is within the realm of its power and what is beyond.” Mr. Fulbright’s description of how America's potential future could be, if it continues to arrogantly use its power. Furthermore, he "fears that America may be drifting into commitments which, though generous and benevolent in intent, are so far reaching as to exceed even America's great...