Martin Luther grew up during the Italian Renaissance, a time when Italy began moving from Medieval to Modern times, a time of tension in the political and economic arenas. The Italian Renaissance marked the rebirth of republicanism and capitalism. Luther also grew up during the Northern Renaissance, at which time the introduction of Nationalism took place. Nationalism based itself on controlling the businessmen, aristocrats, and the church. At the same time capitalism began growing rapidly and the serf's established a bank, built sometime between 1200 and 1500. The Italian government would not allow free capitalism so it offered Nobility. A mercantile system regulated the economy by makin ...view middle of the document...
Benjamin Franklin, born into the midst of a nation at its very beginning, in 1706, and during this time with so much going on in the colonies and abroad Franklin almost couldn't help but to get involved. Franklin grew up as the tenth child of a soap-maker, Josiah Franklin. Josiah wanted Benjamin Franklin to become a part of the clergy, but could not afford the schooling required. So Franklin attended one year of school and then became the apprentice to his brother, James, at his print shop.During the Italian Renaissance Martin Luther studied the ever changing ideas of the population. This era brought a lot of turmoil in the Papacy. The political leaders of the time went from kidnapping the Pope to having three Popes at the same time. The beginning of the Renaissance in the mid-fourteenth century marked a turn from medieval life and values dominated by the Church toward the philosophical principles of humanism. The Italian people, especially the educated middle class, became interested in individual achievement and emphasized life in this world, as opposed to preparation for life in the next world, which religion stressed. Individuals began to be encouraged to excel in a wide range of fields and showcase their talents. Renaissance thinkers condemn medieval life as primitive and backwards, and looked further back in history, to the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans, for inspiration. Having been born in the middle of all the new ideas, Luther became an opponent of the Catholic Church in his adult life.As Franklin grew up in the ever-changing colonial life his grooming to become a brilliant man began. As a child Franklin loved to read so an apprenticeship in his brother's print shop seemed a fitting job. Although Franklin did the job, he always wanted to do more. So when his brother started a newspaper Franklin wrote letters disguised as a widow named Silence Dogood. The letters addressed issues that Franklin thought needed attention in the Colonies, such as the treatment of women and some general criticism of the world around. Eventually he told his brother the truth about the letters and to his surprise his brother showed resentment and jealousy at Franklin's ability to get attention. During this time Queen Anne's war ended and King George I ascended the English throne. The introduction of Tea in the American Colonies in 1714 and the first group of black slaves in Louisiana show that the colonies progression towards a larger need for more independence.The social structure during the time of the Italian renaissance became less of an issue as it progressed. At first social class defined the person and where they stood in society, but the Italian Renaissance almost did away with any regard to the class system as determining a persons worth. Martin Luther's father began his life as a poor landless farmer, but with hard work and perseverance he saved enough money to buy mining strips. With these mining strips he made enough money to bring hims...
