Final answer:
The four changes in Europe that set the stage for the Renaissance were the revival of classical learning and art, the decline of feudalism, the dominance of the Catholic Church, and the emergence of a middle class due to economic changes. The increased wealth from trade, urbanization, patronage, and interest in classical antiquity contributed to the cultural shift in art and philosophy during the Renaissance era.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Italian Renaissance
The four changes in Europe that laid the foundation for the Renaissance were the revival of interest in classical learning and art, the decline of feudalism, the dominance of the Catholic Church, and a growing middle class with spendable money due to economic changes and social mobility. As trade and commerce increased, especially along the Silk Road, it facilitated the influx of money and luxury goods from the East, which, combined with the reduced population due to the Black Death, led to a population that had surplus money to spend. Additionally, the move away from a feudal system towards city-state governments, particularly in Italy, contributed to this cultural revolution. It encouraged humanistic learning, socia-economic upheavals, and advanced philosophies that emphasized the human experience.
Urbanization and the wealth from trade contributed to wealthy merchant families and associations, such as the Medici of Florence, becoming influential patrons of the arts. These developments, together with the migration of Greek scholars and texts to Italy after the fall of Constantinople, compounded the Italian Renaissance, which was a cultural shift from utilitarian medieval art to art that emphasized aesthetics and humanistic themes.
The early Renaissance, or Quattrocento, marked the transition in art styles and the beginning of the use of linear perspective to create more realistic artworks. The cultural, social, and economic changes, along with the patronage of art and a renewed interest in classical antiquity, created an environment ripe for the flourishing of the Renaissance.