Unit 1

Renaissance: The Origins of a Western Worldview

Targets
Skill Builders

Chapter 2 Assessment

Trade, Business, and Worldview

You will submit this assessment to your teacher on the next page. It will allow you to show what you know about how increased trade and business could change a society's worldview.

Choose one of the following three options:


Your role is a business promoter for an Italian city-state during the Renaissance. 


Decide which city-state, Venice or Florence, is the best place to do business during the time of the Renaissance.

Create a brochure promoting either Venice or Florence as a good place to do business during the time of the Renaissance.

Develop your brochure using one of the following methods.

Include the following information in your brochure.


  1. economic reasons to establish a business there
  2. geographic reasons to establish a business there
    Include a map showing the geographical advantages of the city.
  3. illustrations, photos, and/or diagrams that support your presentation
  4. an explanation of why the city is a better choice than a northern European city might be
  5. Explain how the worldview of the people of the city-state is a changing as a result of increased trade and business.

You are a business person looking for financial support (a loan) from a Renaissance bank.

Decide which city-state, Florence or Venice, will be the location for your new business.

Write a letter to the bank officials asking for financial support and explaining why your new business in Florence or Venice will be successful. (You want to convince the bank officials that their investment in your business will be a good one.)

Include the following information in your letter.


  1. economic reasons to establish your business there
  2. geographic reasons to establish your business there
    Include a map showing the geographical advantages of the city.
  3. illustrations, photos, and/or diagrams that support your request
  4. an explanation of why the city-state is a better choice than a northern European city might be
  5. Explain how the worldview of the people of the city-state is changing as a result of increased trade and business.

Create a Prezi presentation at Prezi.com, with the following topic:

How the worldview of the people of a city-state (Florence or Venice) changed because of increased trade and business


Decide which city-state, Florence or Venice, you are going to discuss in your presentation.

Include the following information in your Prezi.


  1. economic reasons people live and work there
  2. geographic reasons people live and work there
    Include a map showing the geographical advantages of the city.
  3. illustrations, photos, and/or diagrams
  4. Explain how the city and its people are different from northern European cities.
  5. Explain how the worldview of the people of the city-state is changing as a result of increased trade and business.
Be sure you have included all the following in your final product:

  • geographic information about your chosen city (Be sure you have included a map that shows the geographical advantages of your chosen city.)
  • economic information about your chosen city
  • illustrations, photos, and/or diagrams
  • comparison of your chosen city to northern European cities
  • explanation of how people's worldview is changing
 Remember to read the Chapter 2 Assessment Rubric to know what is expected of you, no matter the option you choose.

 Click here to download the rubric


Submit your completed Chapter 2 Assessment on the next page.