Chapter 5 Summary and Analysis

The Florentines were innovators. They were responsible for a lot of firsts. They were responsible for writing the first work, Divina Commedia, in what is referred to as the vulgar tongue. The Florentines were responsible for designing and building the first dome. They also made the first nude during the Renaissance period. They were the composers of the first opera. Some claim they were the first to gather statistics while others attribute that accomplishment to Venice. The Florentines were the first to engage in literary criticism. Dante was considered vulgar. Other firsts originating in Florence were descriptive medicine and the studying of power in politics and government. They were also the site of the first chair of Greek study and the first library.

The Renaissance began in Florence; it was a Florentine creation. They believed something went wrong somewhere between Giotto...