Renaissance Research Papers—Essential Questions



Renaissance Research Papers—Topics and Essential Questions

Tougher questions—and by tougher I don’t mean that the others are easy—I only mean that you may have to look harder for information!—are marked with ** Choose wisely…

Medicine and the Plague:

1) **Who was better able to treat the majority of citizens (trained physicians vs. herbalists and others)? Why?

2) How effective were Elizabethan medicinal practices?

3) ****To what extent were medicines mentioned in the literature of the period? Provide examples.

4) *How did the Black Plague influence entertainment and the theatre in the Renaissance era?

5) How did the Renaissance, and the advancements made therein, influence the spread of the Black Plague?

6) To what extent did poor sanitation in the cities contribute to the spread of the Black Plague?

7) **Explain the impact that superstition played in the spread of the Black Plague.

8) How did the ignorance surrounding the physical symptoms of the disease influence the spread of the Black Plague?

Life of a Serf (lower class):

1) **To what extent did one’s social status affect one’s quality of life?

2) ***How did serfdom impact the entertainment of the time period (theatre, literature, etc.)

Crime, Criminals, Government, and Law:

1) **What effect did the Renaissance judicial system have on contemporary criminal codes?

2) How did the forms of punishment fit the crimes for which they were given?

3) **Recount the similarities between the laws enforced during the Elizabethan period and the laws enforced today.

4) **Recount the differences between the laws enforced during the Elizabethan period and the laws enforced today.

5) Which punishable criminal activities during the Elizabethan era would be considered absurd by modern standards?

Church of England:

1) ***To what extent did social status affect one’s involvement in religion?

Religion:

1) ****Which ruler from Henry VIII through Elizabeth I was most impacted by religious tenets.

Music/ Instruments:

1) To what extent was music important to the Elizabethans? Defend your answer.

2) ***What elements of Elizabethan musical practices have NOT stood the test of time and WHY?

Pirates/ Privateers:

1) **Pirate? Privateer? Which is more advantageous and why?

2) ****Pirates then vs. pirates now: who had it better and why?

3) **Which was less advantageous—being a pirate or a privateer?

Astrology:

1) **To what degree did astrology impact a person’s goals and future aspirations?

2) **Were medicinal practices better served by the use of astrology?

3) **Discuss the difference between astrology and witchcraft. Which had more influence on the Elizabethans?

4) Did the belief in the “four humours” positively or negatively affect the Elizabethans?

Inventions:

1) Which do you feel were the most important inventions of the time (Elizabethan Era/Renaissance period)? Justify your choices.

2) What characteristics did inventions have that caused them to have the most positive effect on the people of the day and why?

3) What characteristics did inventions have that allowed them to stand the test of time?

4) What characteristics did inventions have that caused them NOT to stand the test of time?

The Six Wives of Henry VIII:

1) ***Demonstrate which of Henry’s wives had the greatest impact on England.

2) ***Demonstrate which of Henry’s wives had the greatest impact on Henry himself.

Explorers:

1) **Discuss how exploration caused England to become a world power. Justify your answer by indicating which explorers had the greatest impact.

Prejudice:

1) ***Discrimination was a part of Elizabethan England. Which type of discrimination—prejudice, racism, or religious intolerance—most affected the lives of the people.

Marriage and Parenthood:

1) **Which aspects of arranged marriages like those in the Elizabethan Era would be beneficial to today’s generation?

2) **What changes have been made to courting rituals since the Elizabethan era? How have these changes impacted the institution of marriage?

Education:

1) Discuss the role education played in the lives of the people. Consider all types of education.

2) Were people well-served by education in Elizabethan England? Defend your answer.

Elizabeth I:

1) **Whose attitude/approach toward ruling England was better for the country: Elizabeth’s or her siblings’?

2) How did Queen Elizabeth rule her subjects?  Was she merely a figurehead, or did she really make a difference in the politics of the period?  What were some of the major changes which took place during her reign?

Fashion and Hairstyles:

1) Discuss how clothing was either more fashionable or more functional; include hairstyles and makeup.

2) Did the quest for beauty negatively or positively impact health?

Etiquette and Social Customs:

1) **Which social customs of Elizabethan society have most impacted present-day rules of conduct and why?

2) **Why have some social customs of Elizabethan society and not others stood the test of time?

Occupations:

1) Which characteristics made occupations the most desirable? Justify your choices.

2) Which characteristics made occupations the least desirable? Justify your choices.

Sports, Games and Leisure Activities:

1) Explain which games and leisure activities of the Elizabethan culture would not be accepted in today’s culture. Why?

2) What characteristics of the games and leisure activities of the Elizabethan culture caused them to become obsolete (no longer around)?

3) What characteristics of the games and leisure activities of the Elizabethan culture caused to stand the test of time and why?

4) ***Defend the benefits of passive, technology-based games of today against the games during the Elizabethan period.

Food:

1) Explain which foods/drinks/dining customs of the Elizabethan culture would be accepted in today’s culture. Why?

2) **Explain which foods/drinks/dining customs of the Elizabethan culture would not be accepted in today’s culture. Why?

Armor and Weapons:

1) Which elements of war and warfare from the Renaissance Era have stood the test of time and why?

2) Which elements of war and warfare from the Renaissance Era have become obsolete and why?

3) **What are the elements of modern war and warfare that were most influenced by the Renaissance Era?

4) **Compare the changing role of hand-to-hand weaponry between the Elizabethan period and today.

Bed, Bath, and Beyond:

1) Explain which practices of hygiene/beauty during the Elizabethan Era would be considered most offensive today.

2) Which elements of modern hygiene/beauty were most influenced by the Renaissance Era?

3) Why have some practices of hygiene/beauty during the Elizabethan Era become obsolete?

4) Why have some practices of hygiene/beauty during the Elizabethan Era stood the test of time?

5) **In matters of personal hygiene, was it more advantageous to be a woman of rank or a woman of lower status?

Art:

1) ****Discuss the choices of themes in Renaissance art and their connections to Elizabethan culture.

Travel and Transportation:

1) ***What elements of travel and transportation had the most impact on commerce and trade during the Elizabethan Era? Consider the modes of travel/transportation, the laws governing travel/transportation, the events affecting travel/transportation, etc.

Architecture

1) **Discuss the architectural changes of the Renaissance period and their influence on today’s architecture.

Shakespeare

1) ***Why do some scholars believe that Shakespeare was not the author of his works?  What is their logic, and what do YOU believe after studying some of the controversy? Defend your answer.

The Theatre

1) Why were females not tolerated as actors during Shakespeare's lifetime?  What was the thinking that had young boys playing female roles? Would it have been better had females been allowed?

2) ****Patronization was popular during Shakespeare's time.  Would Shakespeare have been as successful or famous without his patrons?

Daily Life

1) Was it better to live in the towns in Elizabethan England or in the country? Defend your answer

OTHERS – If you have an idea of another topic or would like to alter your topic in any way, you must clear it with me!

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