[3] After centuries of medieval struggles, Europe enjoyed a reawakening to the enlightened ways of ancient Greece and Rome. For two centuries — roughly 1400 to 1600 — there was an explosion of art, learning, and culture. This rebirth was known as the Renaissance.

[4 Montage] We'll start where the Renaissance did, in Italy. We'll trace the dramatic revolution in art and the bold spirit of the times. And we'll meet the artistic geniuses who made it possible. From Italy, the Renaissance spread to the seafaring lands of Spain and Portugal, and to the merchant cities of Germany, Belgium and Holland. By the end, the Renaissance had revolutionized the way we think about the world and our place in it.