World History I
Renaissance Lifetime Achievement Award
Your goal is to persuade me, the President of the Charlotte Latin Institute of Renaissance Life, to
award your figure a lifetime achievement award for exceptional contributions to the Renaissance. In
order for your figure to be considered for this prestigious award, you must make a presentation to
the Institute’s Award Committee. The presentation must include rationale for why your figure
should win the award (thesis), background information about your figure, a description of three
works created by him/her (include images), and a description of how one work connects to a
Renaissance ideal, how one work connects to one our Themes of study, and how one work connects
to something in present day. In addition to the presentation, you must submit a written paper to the
Institute’s Award Committee.
Format:
A 2-4-page paper proving your artist’s worth as a candidate through the three connections. As a
reminder, a paper must have: an introduction with a thesis, body-paragraphs with topic sentences,
supporting evidence and analysis, and a concluding statement, and a conclusion paragraph. It must
be typed, double-spaced, and include both footnote citations and a Chicago Style Bibliography.
Do not use first or second person.
The oral presentation should be between 4-5 minutes. If your presentation exceeds five minutes,
you will be cut off. It should be rehearsed and prepared in advance (i.e. don’t read). Please prepare
a slide show that will be projected from your iPad.
Please print your paper and submit it to turnitin.com before class.
Grade:
This assignment is worth 100 points: 75 points for the essay, 25 points for the presentation.
Schedule:
Tuesday, February 27th – Research in the Library
Wednesday, February 28th – Research in the Library
Thursday, March 1st – Research in the Library
Friday, March 2nd – Research in the Library
Monday, March 5th – Research in Library
Tuesday, March 6th – Presentations Begin
Wednesday, March 7th – Presentations Continue
Thursday, March 8th – Finish Presentations and Papers Due at the beginning of class
Renaissance Ideals (primary source quotations):
“The greatest gifts are often seen, in the course of nature, rained by celestial influences on human
creatures; and sometimes, in supernatural fashion, beauty, grace, and talent are united beyond
measure in one single person, in a manner that to whatever such an one turns his attention, his every
action is so divine, that, surpassing all other men, it makes itself clearly known as a thing bestowed
by God (as it is), and not acquired by human art.” Giorgio Vasari
“Oh unsurpassed generosity of God the Father, Oh wondrous and unsurpassable felicity of man, to
whom it is granted to have what he chooses, to be what he wills to be!” Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
“To this I might add that man ought to give some reward to God, to satisfy him with good works in
return for the wonderful gifts which he gave to the spirit of man exalting and magnifying it beyond
that all of other earthly beings.” Leon Battista Alberti
“The whole glory of man lies in activity.” Leonardo Bruni
“Man is the measure of all things.” Protagoras
“Wisdom is the daughter of experience.” Leonardo Da Vinci
Eligible Participants
Isabella d'Este
Andrea Palladio
Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Albrecht Durer
Fra Angelico
Piero della Francesca
Paolo Uccello
Matthias Grunewald
Titian
Giotto
Filippo Brunelleschi
Sandro Botticelli
Andrea Mantegna
Hans Holbein, the Younger
Lorenzo Ghiberti
Giovanni Bellini
Giorgio Vasari
Baldassare Castiglione