During a period of time from approximately 1375 to 1527, an event known as the Renaissance took place in Europe. This was the establishment of an entirely new way of life; there was a vast renaissance of knowledge and the arts that completely changed Europe. Due to events such as the rediscovery of classical works, the Black Death, the invention of printing, and the development of humanism, the Renaissance greatly influenced Europe on many levels. Europe gained more wealth, which led to the progression of a new focus on art and learning. Politically, the Renaissance created a division and competitive nature among European countries, along with the formation and expansion of the mercantile system. The rediscovery of the works of ancient Greece, especially those of Plato, was a great encouragement to the Renaissance. The foundation for the revival of Greek works was laid in 1397 when the city of Florence invited Manuel Chrysoloras, a well-known scholar from Constantinople, to come and promote Greek learning. Through his years of teaching, he greatly spread the learning and knowledge of Greek. In 1439, this revival was continued by the Council of Ferrara-Florence, which met to negotiate the reunification of the Eastern and Western Churches. This connection brought many more Greek scholars and manuscripts to the West, contributing to the spread of knowledge. Furthermore, the Florentine Academy promoted this rebirth of knowledge. The “Accademia Fiorentina” was not actually a formal school; rather, it was an unofficial gathering of humanists, determined to bring to life the works of Plato and other ancient scholars. The Black Death, although an immense tragedy, was another great contribution to the Renaissance. Before Black... center of the card... edge, constantly looking for new sources of information. Due to the intense pursuit of knowledge and wealth, a rift has been created between European countries. This not only indisputably defined the borders of the countries, but also created the need for competition between them. Countries strove more than ever to discover and learn new things that their competitors had not yet accomplished, trying to get one step ahead in the ongoing race for knowledge and wealth. The Renaissance also helped cause the beginning of mercantilism. This was an economic system in which the government closely monitored and controlled the economy in an attempt to benefit from exports and collect as many precious metals as possible. This would allow countries to be more self-sufficient and would help the country be better able to defend itself both politically and economically..