Renaissance man was supposed to be well-rounded: athletic, mentally fit, play music, enjoy life. Middle Ages man had only the scripture and theology for his education and most of them couldn't read and/or write.
Castiglione was an Italian. He wrote the Book of the Courtier (courtier=young gentleman). He said you must be an athlete cuz then you'll have a graceful body, and you must be skilled in the social graces, musical instruments, know history and literature, write poetry and, in general, be well-accomplished. He made his living as a professional houseguest.
The Gothic stuff was during the Middle Ages. Latin was the highest language written and spoken–it was universal. During the Renaissance, Latin got dumped. People spoke in the Vernacular ("in common tongue")–the language of one's own country (English spoke and wrote in English instead of speaking/writing in Latin). People picked up more languages and wrote and spoke in their own to reach more people.
Humanism was: 1. The study of humanities especially the cultural aspects of Greece and Rome, 2. Stress on human ideals rather than religious ideals, 3. Belief in substituting faith in man rather than an all-consuming faith in God.
The Greek and Roman books had been kept in monasteries and basements, etc. They were used as grammar books for monks to write Latin but monks who translated tended to throw out the "bad" passages (those which are lewd, heretical, and in general things monks shouldn't be reading) and inserted their own opinions. The good Greek and Roman stuff we've got today comes from those which were translated into Arabic cuz the Moslems kept the culture more intact. Renaissance man started collecting old books like art objects. Popes were buying the old stuff for their collections using Catholic money. Nicholas V started the Vatican library of Greek and Roman manuscripts. (Popes weren't exactly the most religious folks during this period.) The Humanists: 1. Preserved and dug up lots of knowledge of the ancient world, 2. Developed a critical spirit (developed doubts and the ability to think for oneself), 3. Started more learning, 4. The skill in Greek/Latin writing improved.
Lorenzo Valla was the Pope's secretary. He was poking in the Vatican library and found the "Donation of Constantine." IT was a document which stated the Roman Empire had been given to the Pope. The Popes had been using it to keep medieval kings in line. Valla found the document was a fraud cuz it was written in the Middle Ages Latin not old Roman Latin. It added to the Church's bad image.
Germany sent people to Italy to study the Renaissance. Germany used the Renaissance to straighten out Christianity. Around then the 1st printing press was invented by Gutenberg in Northern Germany. Why did it happen in Germany, the most backward of the European countries? Well, they just happened to have all the ingredients on hand at one time: 1. They had cheap paper which had been invented by the Chinese, 2. They had a metal type made of antimony and lead which held up and didn't melt, 3. They had an ink made from paints which was the right consistency to stick but not goo, 4. They had the pressure needed to print similar to a wine press. Because of the printing press, you, the reader, have Stockmyer's personal guarantee that the Middle Ages will never come again!! (You will sleep better, now, won't you?)