HISTORY AND THE ARTS

The Renaissance and Reformation are known for famous images and ideas but who were behind these expressions of art and literature and how did they change society and lead to the modern world? This will be the topic of this in-person discussion and presentation group where participants will have the chance to see slideshow presentations, try to reCALL what they know of these periods with some related trivia games, and then present and discuss some of those ideas as characters from these periods.

This year the facilitator will lead one session with a slideshow and trivia game introducing each of the two eras and leading general discussion on the period and then in the next week’s session, each participant will present on a chosen figure from the period before the group discusses the major questions facing that time as their character. (Unlike my high school Advanced Placement class, no, you will not be expected to enter the discussion in costume of your character - although that was one of the students' favorite things! But you will have a glossy placard of your character in front of you as you debate the issues of the day as that person).

Everyone must have something from the Arts of these periods that they love - simply show us and let us see it through your eyes. We can then discuss what the time was like, and how it changed our world - as we look into what historian Barbara Tuchman called, A Distant Mirror.

Looking forward to another year of fun and learning and meeting again such interesting people.

Malcolm Rennie holds an M.A. in History, University of Calgary, and is a retired high school Social Studies and Advanced Placement European and World History teacher.