The Renaissance (literally “re-birth”)—a time period from roughly 1300-1600 in Europe that saw advances in art, education, and culture. The Renaissance is seen as the end of the “Dark Ages” and the first “modern” period.
Humanism (literally “belief in Human”)—the major Renaissance philosophy focused on individual improvement and making the most out of your time here on Earth
Secular—dealing with the “real” here in the present (as opposed to the “spiritual,” concerned with another dimension of “reality” that you cannot observe with the senses)
“Middle Class”—a biased term for people in society who are neither poor nor rich—usually, the middle class works as a “middle man” between the commoners and the nobility, in small businesses or crafts
Patrons—financial supporters of artists (we might call these people “producers” today)