The Renaissance was the rebirth of classical society in most of Europe. Renaissance is the French word for “Rebirth” and it is certainly the case, many people who lived during the Renaissance believed they were witnessing the rebirth of classical antiquity, in other words, the Greek and Roman world. But it was not only seen as a period of rebirth, it was also a time of recovery from the various setbacks that occurred in the Middle Ages, including the Black Death, political disarray and even an economic dilemma resulting from the brutal War of Hundred Years which took place in the Middle Ages between England and France. The birthplace of the Renaissance is notably Italy, but the idea quickly spread throughout Europe to France, Spain and even England. The Renaissance represented a huge change of pace from the Middle Ages for much of European culture and brought about social, intellectual, and political transformation. It also played a vital role in laying the foundations for the growth and development of European society and culture. the Middle Ages. Renaissance society differed greatly from medieval society. Society during the Renaissance era was divided into 3 different groups or estates. The first estate was made up of the clergy. The clergy represented approximately 5 to 8% of the European population. The second estate was made up of nobility, this section represented approximately 2 to 3% of the European population during the Renaissance era. The nobles were made up largely of landowners and differed radically from the nobles of the Middle Ages, mainly due to changes in education. In the Middle Ages, nobles were required to undergo military training, grow up and become a knight... middle of paper ... considerable progression and development into the modern world for the European continent. This allowed them to grow socially, intellectually and politically to become what their modern counterparts are today. The Middle Ages were a time of confusion and warlike, power-hungry kings who always wanted more. The Renaissance era was definitely a time of growth and maturation, allowing monarchies and the normal populace to move from their primitive aggressive spirit to something more cultural and diplomatic. People in the Renaissance were more concerned with art and science, whereas people in the Middle Ages were not. It's safe to say that without the Renaissance, the world as a whole would have fallen a few steps behind the intellectual timeline. This gave Europe the opportunity to grow and establish itself as an international power..