How is contemporary American society influenced by developments which took place in the Renaissance?

Answer 1

gawainer seems to be looking at the WRONG "renaissance"!

In fact, most of the advances he mentions did NOT happen during the well-known Italian Renaissance, but a few centuries earlier during the "Renaissance of the 12th century". That was when we see the founding of the university system and the fruits of contact with the East --from the mechanical clodk to gunpowder to the compass.

Arguably, that period was far more important to modern progress in technology, the sciences, etc. than what happened in (and spread from) Italy under the Medicis, et.al. . The latter was much more about the effects of classical literature (which WAS known before this time) and art forms on a 'cultural revival' (music, fine arts, literature). In fact, in many ways the Italian Renaissance built upon these earlier breakthroughs.

And it's doubtful that such things as the navigational advances of the broader era, culminating in the "Age of Discovery" launched by the Portugese sailors, etc., or the invention of the printing press had a whole lot to do with the work of the Italian Renaissance artists.

Note that over the past century historians have re-evaluated the older view of the Italian revival as "THE" Renaissance, and have instead recognized a number of periods of renaissance, perhaps beginning as early as the period of the Carolingians (8th century).
http://members.aol.com/tward64340/Renaissance.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_of_the_12th_century
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolingian_Renaissance


At any rate, it was NOT the Italian Renaissance that 'gave us science', for instance. The foundations for that were already laid (the university system was a key part of this), and had far more religious roots than many recognize (thanks in large measure to the propaganda campaigns of key agnostics from Voltaire to the present).
http://www.taemag.com/issues/articleid.17713/article_detail.asp

I do believe its focus on the "humanities" was worthwhile and became important in the direction the univerisity took over the following century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanities

It also made some important contributions to the manner of STUDY of ancient texts, including helping to encourage people to go back to the ORIGINAL texts. Some of the improved methodology of interpretation of texts, played an important role in such things as the publication and study of the Hebrew and Greek Bible and in the Reformation. But again, these things likewise were already beginning to develop as a result of the university system.

For that matter, the contributions of the Renaissance" in the arts was not all 'brand new'. Polyphonic music, for example, is something that began to develop in the medieval period.
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/beginlst/nocds.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_music

One distinct contribution the Italian Renaissance may have made was in the development of the philosophy of "Humanism". But note that this was, initially, much more connected with the "humanities", not with what modern day "humanistic philosophy". There was no reason one could not have a "humanistic" approach AND be quite devout. (In fact, from this perspective, the Reformer John Calvin was a 'humanist', because of the way he approache the texts.)

For a look at some of the important technological advances and beginnings of modern science in the "High Middle Ages" see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrolabe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass#History_of_the_navigational_compass
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_in_the_Middle_Ages#High_Middle_Ages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_technology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock#A_new_mechanism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder

Answer 2

In lots of ways.
First, the scientific revolution began in the Reanaissance. If you recall, the heliocentric theory of Copernicus came out about 1458 or so, but it took some time to be accepted. NASA stems directly from scientific advances in astronomy which began in the Ren. The telescope is an invention of the Ren. People began experimenting with gravity in the Ren,. and gravity still presents a problem to scientists working today in American universities. We know that gravity is a force, but we can't find gravity waves or gravity particles (every other form of energy we know of comes in waves or particles, depending upon how it is looked at). The division of the hour into minutes and then into seconds also took place in the Ren. We couldn't have modern watches and clocks without this refinement. Printing was another development of the Ren., as was the increasing spread of literacy and the use of common languages for teaching and research purposes.
The discovery of the New World was another development of the Ren. America wouldn't even exist if mariners hadn't sailed west to find the East on the basis of a theory.
Gunnery was another development of the Ren. Modern warfare couldn't exist without the development of gunpowder and firearms.
There is so much more.

Answer 3

Hello dear!
Well, the same way usually a society prospers: by education!
From the time Universities were formed and spreading knowledge to American youth and people, the beneficial movements of the past influenced them!