Final answer:
The humanism movement in Europe emphasized individual potential and the importance of humanities, promoting secularism and critical thinking over religious dogma and collective efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
The intellectual movement of humanism significantly impacted Europeans' view of human beings by emphasizing individual potential, secularism, and critical thinking. Rather than promoting a focus on religious dogma or collective efforts, humanism in Europe highlighted the value and dignity of human beings and suggested that through the study of humanities, such as philosophy, history, and literature, individuals could improve themselves and their societies. Francesco Petrarca, an Italian scholar and poet, was central to the founding of this movement, and his ideals reflected the potential for human achievement.
During the Renaissance, humanism sought to create citizens capable of engaging in the civic life of their communities through eloquent speech and writing. This was a considerable shift from the previously dominant medieval scholastic conventions that focused on pre-professional and scientific studies for job preparation. Humanism encouraged people to study the 'studia humanitatis' which included grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, and moral philosophy, aiming to revive the cultural and literary legacy, as well as the moral philosophy of classical antiquity.