Outline I.

Introduction 1) Thesis: The role of women and education greatly impacted the Renaissance during the 15th century The Role of Women in the 15th century during the Italian Renaissance 1) Different classes of women A. Peasant women The wife managed the household Their primary function was to bear children Poor women did not conceive at the same rate because they nursed their own babies B. Noble women Were frequently pregnant Sought out to have as many children as possible to ensure that there would be a surviving male heir to the family fortune Noble women often had arranged marriages to strengthen business or family ties With a large dowry, a daughter could marry a man of higher social status, thereby enabling the family to move higher up in society Education in the 15th century during the Italian Renaissance 1) Humanist effect on education A. Liberal studies Most famous school was founded in 1423 by Vittorino da Feltre at Mantua Vittorino based much of his educational system on the ideas of classical authors such as Cicero and Quintilian The core was "liberal studies". a. Concerning Character by Pietro Paolo Vergerio. b. Stressed the importance of the liberal arts as the key to true freedom. c. Included in liberal arts was, history, moral philosophy, eloquence, grammar, logic, poetry, mathematics, astronomy, and music. B. Who was educated Primarily geared for the education of an elite, the ruling classes and their communities All boys a. Vittorino's only female pupils were the two daughters of the Gonzaga ruler of Mantua. i. They were taught some history and to ride, dance, sing, play the lute, and appreciate poetry. ii. Discouraged from learning mathematics and rhetoric

II.

III.

The women that were educated established their own literary careers a. Isotta Nogarola, born to a noble family in Verona, mastered Latin and wrote numerous letters and treatises that brought her praise from male intellectuals b. Cassandra Fedele of Venice learned both Latin and Greek from humanist tutors provided by her family, became prominent in Venice for her public recitations of orations c. Laura Cereta was educated in Latin by her father. She defended the ability of women to pursue scholarly pursuits

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V.

The Role of Women in Education in the 15th century during the Italian Renaissance 1) What happened to the women that were educated 2) Isabella de Este supported libraries 3) Some women were educated Conclusion 1) Thesis restatement

During the Renaissance in the 15th century, education and the role of women greatly impacted European society. Many schools were opened that provided the needs to learn liberal studies, morals, arithmatic, and the sciences.