Renaissance/ Rebirth of the civilization started with the assimilation of the Greek and Arabic knowledge. It started from Italy and was spead to the rest of Europe.
An Empire fell [Byzantine] and new states emerged Ottoman Empire, Venice, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Nordic countries.
Science was rediscovered and universities were founded.
Astronomy, Mathematics, Geography, Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Navigation, Architecture, Engineering, Technology, Music, Theater, Painting, Arts in general, even warfare were developed.
Literature and Philisophy were revisited. Education ceased to be a privilege of the wealthy and upper class. New continents were discovered and exploited. The rights of individual citizens were recognized and wherever they were oppressed migration of populations did take place for religious or political reasons.
Inventions changed the life of average man.
Printing was invented by Gutenberg, telescope, compass, processing the minerals, agriculture, trade, paid labour even slavery had a comeback.