The Renaissance was a series of literary and cultural movements that began in Italy and spread into other parts of Europe in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries; however, the Renaissance may have extended before and beyond these centuries. The term renaissance means "rebirth," from the belief that Europeans rediscovered Greek and Roman, Classical, culture after many centuries of intellectual and cultural decline called the Middle Ages. Many philosophers from the Classical Period, along with the new philosophy of humanism, gave ideas that greatly contributed to the Renaissance. The Renaissance was affected by the Classical era in literature and art, curiosity and individualism, and culture. Literature and art that focused on religion in the Middle Ages became more secular, nonreligious, in the Renaissance.

Art and literature were important to society in classical, middle, and renaissance times. In the Middle Ages, there was interest...