The Renaissance, which spanned roughly from the 14th to the 17th century, was marked by significant social developments that transformed European society. Key developments included a renewed interest in classical learning from Ancient Greece and Rome, leading to advancements in art, literature, and science. Humanism emerged as a dominant intellectual movement, emphasizing the value of individual experience and the study of human potential. This period also saw increasing wealth and power for the merchant class, a rise in secularism, and the questioning of traditional authority, particularly that of the Church. Additionally, the invention of the printing press revolutionized the dissemination of ideas.