What is Humanism?
Humanism was a cultural movement during the Italian Renaissance that emphasized education and knowledge, and reinstated Greek and Roman ideas and teachings. Petrarch, Coluccio Salutati, and Poggio Bracciolini were among the earliest humanists and they all contributed to the progression of humanism. Petrarch was especially imperative to this cultural movement, so much to the point that he is called the "Father of Humanism." Humanism during the Renaissance originally began in Italy, but it quickly spread throughout Europe. Humanism began, because after medieval supernaturalism started to fade, secular and human interests increased while dependence on faith diminished.
Middle Age Thinking
The thinking of many people during the middle ages strongly differed from the thinking of those who embraced humanism. Humanism led to the revival of individualism, which was developed by the Greeks and Romans. Individualism had been suppressed by the Church and by feudalism in the Middle Ages. The Church associated individualism with sin, arrogance, and rebellion. The Church restricted individual expression, expected selflessness, and demanded complete obedience. The Church rejected man and nature, which created a conflict of interest.