Suggested Presentation Topic List

You are not obligated to select a topic from this list. This list merely provides ideas. Limit your research to the Renaissance in Italy and England.

Broad Topic List

Select specific topics under these broad areas. View the Specific Topic List for ideas.

Environmental Economics	Social Class Structure	Clothing	Housing
Language	Law	Literature	Political Structure
Science, Technology and Society	Geography	Education	Religion
Food	Etiquette	Relationships	Mythology and Folklore
Weaponry and Firearms	People	Issues and Causes	Major Events
Employment and Occupations	Shakespearean Works	Entertainment	Architecture
Games	Sports	Music	Authors

Specific Topic Idea List

The influence of Brunelleschi on Renaissance Architecture	Discuss the Renaissance as a bridge to the present.	Education in the Renaissance.	Investigate a wide variety of sources used by Shakespeare, such as history, mythology, legend and other literary works.
Chance as portrayed in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."	Word play in Shakespearean drama.	Shakespeare's use of more than one plot in a single drama.	Shakespeare's strong women.
Shakespeare's use of comic relief in his tragedies.	Compare and contrast the use of asides and soliloquies in Shakespeare's plays.	Contrast and compare two characters motivations in a play. Choose one of the following motivations: hope for reward, love, fear of failure, revenge, greed, jealousy, or hate.	Music education in the Renaissance-How were students taught musical instruments and about music during this time?
Compare/Contrast two well-known composers during this time.	The impact of religion on music.	Comparisons of Renaissance Instruments of England and Italy.	Musical Instruments: Their uses and origin.
Religious symbolism in the Architecture of Westminster Abbey.	Religious and historical significance of the Sistine Chapel.	The history of the Santa Maria Del Fiore.	Renaissance and Gothic architecture in Italy.
Trace the historical development of drama and theatre from its original creation to today.	Discuss Elizabeth's role in the development of drama and theatre during the Renaissance. How did it impact the development of history.	The Elizabethan Shareholder System.	The status and organization of the performers and economics of the theatre or performance space.
The influence of contemporary philosophical, religious, and political thought in the writing of plays during the time.	Discuss the concept of love in the Renaissance-Use other Renaissance writings to interpret/compare/contrast views of love in the Renaissance as opposed to today.	The availability of education for women.	The relationship of Church and State in the Renaissance.
Queen Elizabeth	Renaissance Food and Cooking	Discuss with researched evidence the major social changes that occurred as a result of large scale plagues like the Bubonic Plague-How did they change social structure?	Significance of Fairies in Folklore during the Renaissance.
Mannerism's Effect on the Arts and Artists.	Men Vs Women during the Renaissance.	Politics during the Renaissance.	Select one major political figure during this time and examine this person's contributions to the Renaissance political structure.
Discuss the correlation between food and healing. Is there evidence to support that people during the Renaissance may have known certain things about foods in absence of scientific proof?	The history of Cooking and Eating Utensils.	Chefs of the Renaissance.	The Effect of Food in Society.
Herbal Remedies.	Discuss one medical intervention during the Renaissance in detail and compare/contrast the new developments in today's medical technology as a consequence of its invention.	The practice of medicine and its institutions during the Renaissance.	The discoveries of Parcelsus.
The medical use of leeches during the Renaissance vs the medical use of leeches today.	Discuss one scientific discovery during the Renaissance in detail and compare/contrast the new developments in today's scientific technology as a consequence of its invention.	Discuss one scientist, his/her life and his/her contribution to society. Was his/her contribution significant?	Motherhood during the Renaissance
Women's occupations throughout the Renaissance.	Compare/Contrast law enforcement today with law enforcement of the Renaissance. Were there police officers?	Discuss the evolutions of capital punishment (The Death Penalty) from the Renaissance to today. Was the death penalty more effective during the Renaissance than today? If so, why?	Discuss the use of torture in crime and punishment in the 16th century with emphasis on the power struggle between Catholic Church and Protestantism.
Law in Elizabethan England-Emphasis on Sumptuary Laws.	Criminal Rights.	Comparison of Renaissance Prisons to Today.	The Bodiam Castle.
Inigo Jones	The Windsor Castle Fire.	The White Hall Palace.