The Renaissance

The "Renaissance" is the name given to the time period after the Middle Ages.
It began in Italy in the 14th Century and spread north throughout Europe. The name means "rebirth".
It is an appropriate name for the era because during the 200 years (1400-1600) or so of its existence, many learnings, skills and attitudes from the Classical Period of Greece and Rome were rediscovered. This led to a general questioning or skeptical attitude. Man, not God or religion, was beginning to be seen by many as the "measure of all things" (as ancient philosophy was rediscovered, this quote from Protagoras,Greek philosopher from 5th century B.C.E., has become associated with the Renaissance).
The Renaissance is known as the transition period between the Middle Ages and modern times.